Download - foreverindus.org - WWF - Pakistan

Master Trainers’ Manual 

on Environmental Education 

(For School Teachers) 

i

Master Trainers Manual on Environmental Education 

Authors: Qamar Shahid Siddiqui, Muhammad Zafar Khan 

Editor: Dr. Ghulam Akbar, Ghulam Qadir Shah 

Coordination: Muhammad Zafar Khan 

© 2008 by World Wide Fund for Nature, Pakistan 

WWF – Pakistan, P.O. Box 5180, 

Ferozepur Road, Lahore, Pakistan 

ISBN: 978-969-8283-51-3 

Edition: 1st 

Layout and Design: Muhammad Sajid Siddiqui 

Illustrations: Saira Nagi & Syed Mohammad Raza 

Photographs: WWF – Pakistan 

Printed by: Kifayat Publishers 

This publication is developed and published under the 

Communication and Awareness Raising Component of the 

Indus for All Programme, WWF – Pakistan 

ii

Contents 

1. Foreword v 

2. Acknowledgements vii 

3. Acronyms ix 

4. Introduction 1 

5. Rationale of Environmental Education 3 

6. About this Manual - Sharing Main Features 4 

7. Objectives of the Manual 5 

8. Module 1: Entry into Learning and Developing Rapport 6 

9. Module 2: Developing Conceptual Framework for Environmental Education 12 

10. Module 3: Teaching and Learning about Environment 15 

11. Module 4: Developing and Implementing an Environmental Education Programme in Schools 52 

12. Module 5: Implementing Training in the Field 57 

13. Appendices 60 

14. Reading Package 67 

15. References 101 

iii

Foreword 

It has been diligently observed by conservation organizations and individuals across the world that environmental 

protection is highly unlikely without developing a caring attitude among public for their environment. 

Learning and understanding is the key to bring about attitudinal changes. Environmental education is, therefore, 

considered to be an essential fi rst step towards a healthy environment and caring society. 

WWF – Pakistan’s conservation initiatives are always anchored by a comprehensive education and awareness 

drive as is done under the Indus for All Programme. The Programme is the fi rst six-year implementation 

phase of a long-term conservation agenda in the region known as the Indus Ecoregion Programme. The 

Programme aims to conserve biological diversity in the Indus Ecoregion through livelihood improvement of 

the local communities. 

The Indus Ecoregion is one of the 238 ecoregions in world, which are the outstanding land and seascapes 

identifi ed globally by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) with support of other conservation organisations 

such as the United Nation’s Environment Programme and National Geographic Society. The analysis 

called Global 200 and carried out in 1997 was followed by developing conservation programmes for these 

ecoregions. 

Environmental education is a vital component of the Indus Ecoregion Programme intending to address 

a diverse array of target audiences. School children are one of the major target groups. Acknowledging 

the fact that educating youth and school children is a long-term investment in conservation initiatives, the 

Programme has launched a comprehensive environmental education campaign in schools. The campaign 

focuses on building competencies of school teachers, developing nature clubs and integrating environmental 

education in school’s curricula. 

The manual in hand titled “Master Trainers Manual on Environmental Education” is meant to be utilised 

by school teachers in general and trained teachers in the priority sites of the Indus Ecoregion in particular 

to enhance their skills and promote environmental education in their schools. Though, similar manuals 

and guidebooks have also been developed by many other organizations, but in this manual special efforts 

have been made to enable teachers to teach the environmental concepts by integrating with their schools’ 

curricula. 

We hope that you will fi nd this manual useful for teaching and learning environmental education in schools. 

As ever, we are interested in hearing from you about how you, as individuals and as organisations have successfully 

used this manual. For more information about the Indus for All Programme and how to contact us, 

please visit our website at: www.indusforever.org 

Dr. Ghulam Akbar 

Regional Director 

WWF – Pakistan 

v

Acknowledgements 

I really appreciate and thank to WWF – Pakistan for providing me a great opportunity for developing this 

environmental education manual for the master trainers. 

I acknowledge the continuous technical support given by Mr. Ghulam Qadir Shah, Manager Conservation 

Sindh/Coordinator Indus Ecoregion Programme and Mr. M. Zafar Khan, Manager Environmental Education 

(WWF – Pakistan) during the process of development of this manual. 

I am also thankful to Ms. Sharmeen Qizilbash for making the technical considerations easy and according to 

the set time frame. 

Qamar Shahid Siddiqui 

Consultant, 

WWF – Pakistan 

22 July 2008 

vii

viii

Acronyms 

BMPs Best Management Practices 

CFCs Chlorofl uorocarbons 

CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora 

EE Environmental Education 

ESRA Education Sector Reform Assistance 

GDP Gross Domestic Product 

ha Hectare 

HEP Hydroelectric Power 

IUCN The World Conservation Union 

OHP Overhead Projector 

PC Personal Computer 

USAID U.S Agency for International Development 

WWF – Pakistan World Wide Fund for Nature – Pakistan 

ix

Introduction 

Learning about environment (climate, soil, biodiversity, ecosystems, natural resources, sustainability, etc.) 

is the most essential part of education. Humans are required to understand what is necessary to keep life 

and the factors that are supporting life fi t in accordance with the natural principles so that life could have 

maximum chance for smooth survival on this planet Earth. 

The world has realised that excessive industrialisation, technological innovations and nuclearisation, which 

humans identifi ed as their accomplishment, are now proving to be the major threats to life on earth. As a 

result thereof, many countries of the world have realised to educate people about environment. Education 

Ministries have made Environmental Education (EE) as the obligatory part of the school curriculum. 

Environmental education mainly focuses on all aspects of environment and the ecosystems like soil, water, 

forests, the natural resources and their conservation, creating balance between the population increase and 

the use of resources, the global warming and pollution; which are the major threats to human survival on 

earth. 

In recent years, the Ministry of Education, Government of Pakistan has earnestly felt the need of teaching EE 

and has incorporated EE as the part of curriculum. Along with the concerned ministry, other stakeholders 

like non-governmental organisations, international organisations including WWF – Pakistan are struggling to 

make EE as the integral part of the curriculum. 

WWF – Pakistan has long history of research and academic work in the environmental education. ‘Indus for 

All Program’ of WWF – Pakistan is one of the recent initiatives which lays emphasis on teachers’ education 

with respect to environment. This manual is one of the efforts to prepare teachers in EE with special focus on 

promoting environmental education of the Indus Ecoregion in schools and the programme sites of the Indus 

for All Programme: Keti Bunder (Coastal ecosystem) in Thatta, Keenjhar Lake (Freshwater ecosystem) in 

Thatta, Chotiari Reservoir (Wetland ecosystem) in Sanghar and Pai Forest (Forest ecosystem) in Nawabshah 

by enhancing the knowledge and skills of school teachers in environmental education. 

This manual focuses on the development of content knowledge that is already available in the textbooks 

being used in the public and private sector schools in the target areas. In other words, the EE concepts are 

available in the textbooks and through this manual, teaching of those concepts would be further enriched/ 

highlighted. The second major aspect of this manual is learning a variety of innovative teaching learning 

strategies/techniques that could be used/ practiced in the schools. 

1

There are fi ve modules of this training manual namely: 

Module 1: Entry into Learning and Developing Rapport 

Module 2: Developing Conceptual Framework for Environmental Education 

Module 3: Teaching and Learning about Environment 

Module 4: Developing and Implementing Environmental Education Programme in School 

Module 5: Implementing Training in the Field 

This manual is developed in a way that would enable the school teachers not only to enhance their present 

knowledge of environmental education concepts and relate it with the Indus Ecoregion, but also to learn 

about the major issues of the Indus Ecoregion and later devise the practicable strategies of resolving the 

issues at all possible levels: school, home, and society. While developing of this manual, it has been cared 

that creative teaching, learning and assessment methodology would be adopted so that teachers are able to 

engage their learners in creativity and critical thinking. 

This manual also includes a list of readings regarding environmental education and the pedagogy so that 

school teachers could have maximum opportunity of enhancing their knowledge of environmental education 

and teaching learning methods and techniques. 

2

Rationale of Environmental Education 

In our context of Sindh province, the Environmental Education (EE) is being taught for many years. There are 

several concepts related to environmental education present in our primary and secondary school textbooks 

of English, Urdu, Sindhi, Science and Social Studies. Apart from these, there are several environmental themes 

present in the subjects of language, science and social studies that focus environmental education. 

Though the concepts are available in the textbooks and are being taught for a very long time, no proper 

understanding of environmental education is observable in our children. The close observations of teaching 

learning methodologies depict several reasons for not witnessing a substantial change. The fi rst reason is 

that the concepts are integrated within the subjects of language, science and social studies. Teachers mostly 

pay attention to learning the concepts related to these subjects and they do not pay heed to environmental 

education concepts. The reason behind this practice is teachers’ inability to highlight the environmental 

education concepts when teaching the other concepts. For example, if a teacher is teaching the lesson on 

Dolphins (English class 4), he/she will usually concentrate on loud reading of the lesson, dictation of new 

words and conducting conventional type exercises. A teacher never pays attention to the development of 

understanding of what a Dolphin is, where it lives, how it lives, why it is popular, why its survival is necessary, 

what humans can do for its survival etc. 

The dilemma is that the teacher in our context does not facilitate children in developing understanding of 

the environmental education themes in relation to the concepts being focused as the primary concepts. 

Second, the teacher does not teach concepts in relation to the real life but simply focuses on textbook as the 

sole source of knowledge. The third reason is that the teacher does not facilitate children in development 

of a sense of ownership about environment within them. For example, a teacher while preparing a lesson 

on dolphins should plan the lesson in a way that children feel ownership of dolphins and later think about 

dolphins’ care. The fourth reason is that the teaching-learning of these concepts is very much dull and dreary 

in the sense that it is based only on memorisation of the concepts. Children usually memorise and do not 

focus on understanding the concept. As a result of memorisation, children never get involved in creativity, 

discovery, critical thinking and refl ection. 

The concepts of EE strongly suggest active involvement of children into various activities, for instance reading 

stories, singing poems, question answers, debate and discussion, interview, fi eldwork, drawing, creating 

stories, development of environmental clubs, etc. Involvement in these activities can only ensure better 

understanding along with the development of awareness, realisation, ownership and commitment to resolve 

the main concerns of their environment both individually and collectively. As a result of this change, it would 

be possible to hope for active and civilised members of the society in the future course of time. 

3

About this Manual - Sharing Main Features 

Keeping the academic and professional needs and the cognitive level of the teachers in our context, this 

manual has been made quite simple for understanding and practice. The understanding and practices of environmental 

themes are well supported by prior knowledge and experiences, textbook knowledge, activities, 

simple description of the teaching-learning techniques, procedures, etc. 

This manual is based on the current textbooks relating to Sindhi, Urdu and English, Science and Social 

Studies, which are being used in public and private schools. The EE concepts have been selected from these 

textbooks and are put in the framework of variety of teaching-learning techniques. The second source of 

content knowledge is the provision of material and activities related to the conservation of natural resources 

of the Indus Ecoregion Programme. 

The manual is developed on the basis of real life situations. Teachers will be enabled to teach the children 

what they see, what they feel, and what they evaluate through the in-depth refl ection of their actions. 

Promoting the constructivist paradigm of learning is the important feature of this manual. All the input in this 

manual is based on what trainees already know and the experiences they possess. The previous knowledge 

and experiences will serve as the strong basis for building new knowledge, which will continue throughout 

their professional career development. 

The participatory/ cooperative learning approach will be used across the training programme. This strategy 

will help in creating social equity, where learning will take place through sharing, exchange, empathy, etc. 

The learning will proceed from easy to complex learning and from known to unknown. Hence, learning will 

gradually evolve from easier to the more diffi cult concepts. 

The provision of a variety of teaching-learning strategies in this manual will provide the learners with great 

exposure to learn different concepts through the various strategies/techniques. It may be kept in mind that 

the current and most prevailing method of teaching-learning is based on direct teaching method, where 

teacher is dominant over the learner. 

Field trip has been made the prime feature of this training manual as the trainees’ involvement in actions 

outside of classroom greatly helps them in understanding the complex ideas. 

The analytical and refl ective approaches are the part and parcel of this manual in order to enable trainees to 

evaluate their learning in depth, explore alternate ways of working, etc. 

4

Objectives of the Manual 

This manual will enable the master trainers to: 

1. Develop understanding about the environmental education concepts; 

2. Enrich the existing environmental education concepts available within the textbooks and integrate them 

into various subjects; 

3. Learn a variety of pedagogical and assessment skills involved in teaching environmental education 

concepts; 

4. Develop and implement school’s environmental education action plan; and 

5. Learn how to organise a training programme in environmental education. 

5

1 - 

6 

- Module 

Objectives of the Module: 

Entry into Learning and Developing Rapport 

This module will enable course participants to: 

Know each other; 

Make entry in the learning environment; 

Learn about the objectives; and 

Develop social skills chart as a tool for creating discipline throughout the workshop.

1 - Activity Knowing Each Other 

Objective: 

To enable participants to know each other. 

Strategies: 

Searching partner. 

Making inquiry. 

Time: 45 minutes 

Resources: 

Flash cards 

Pictures, etc. 

Tips for Resource Persons: 

Criteria of searching partner could be having 

similarity in the living or nonliving things like animals, 

birds, fi sh, plants, trees, food, habitats, etc. 

Procedure: 

Ask participants on individual basis to write 

the name of any bird, animal, tree, plant, food, 

ecosystem or habitat, etc. 

The participants having similarity in the names, 

family of specifi c species, taste in case of food, 

habitat in case of similar features may form the 

pair. 

Each individual will have to draw or write on 

the fl ash card or select a picture and pin up 

in front of dress so that everyone could have 

easiness in searching the partner. 

After searching, sit in the corner and make 

conversation to know each other. Below are 

some guiding questions that may help to get 

information but participants will have freedom 

to devise other questions as well. 

For presentation, each individual in pair will 

read out the answers collected through conversation/enquiry. 

Guiding Questions: 

These are a few questions given below. The participants 

may feel free to add any question to make 

conversation. The questions could be: 

1. What is your name? 

2. Where do you serve and in which capacity? 

3. Where do you live? 

4. How do you see the environment where you 

live? 

5. Which animal do you like the most and which 

animal makes you scared and what are the 

reasons? 

6. Have you ever planted a tree; what were your 

feelings? 

7. Have you ever cared for an animal, bird, tree, 

environment, etc? 

7

2 - Activity Entry into Learning 

Objective: 

To enable participants think about a situation 

through reading a poetry. 

Strategies: 

Reading a poem, understand and link it with 

real life. 


Resources: 

A poem. 

Pictures. 


Reading a poem is an artistic activity which may 

provide an opportunity to listeners to visualize or 

perceive what they are listening to. 

Procedure: 

Welcome all the participants by reading a 

poem of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, thus giving 

a message to save the environment and bring 

prosperity. 

Read another poem giving message related 

to the environment (see a poem on the next 

page as an example). 

Ask participants to visualise poetry and develop 

a link with real life. 

Hold a debriefi ng asking: 

1. What participants have learnt from the 

poem? 

2. What do they feel as a result of this 

poem? 

Conclude the session in a way that creates a 

logical link with the next session. 

8

Welcome Welcome Dear All 

Welcome Welcome dear All 

I really feel nice to make this call 

Let’s come to learn about the place we live in 

Where there remained our kith and kin 

A place once was beautiful 

Now looks terrible 

There was a river called Indus 

Alexander called it mighty Indus 

Because of its powerful fl ow 

Where birds, trees, fi sh, humans grow 

Now, where is its forceful fl ow? 

Disappeared! Yes disappeared. 

Now dry look like a desert 

Fish, birds, humans are crying 

They are dying 

Save them please save them 

From the fearful fl ame 

Lets unite and do strong action 

For that we need strong commitment and a 

realistic plan of action 

That should back Indus the same fl ow 

Where all birds, trees, humans could grow 

And move towards a direction 

A direction of peace, care, love and satisfaction 

Welcome Welcome dear All 

I really feel nice to make this call 

Let’s come to learn about the place we live in 

Where there remained our kith and kin 

A place once was beautiful 

Now looks terrible 

Qamar Shahid Siddiqui 

Poem Presenting Tips 

Make voice audible to all the participants. 

Develop rhythm in the voice. 

Use body language/gestures. 

Try creating scene in the poetry. 

9

3 - Activity Sharing Objectives 

Objective: 

Facilitate participants to understand what they 

have to do to achieve something. 

Strategies: 

Discussion. 


Resources: 

Objectives written on a transparency. 

Overhead projector or multimedia. 

Computer. 

10 


Resource Persons carefully read and should 

understand the objectives. 

Prepare for a simple discussion. 

Follow the discussion tips in Appendices. 

Procedure: 

Resource Persons: 

Display the objectives (please see objectives 

of the manual on page 5). 

Read objectives one by one along with clarifi - 

cations, examples, responses to any questions, 

etc.

4 - Activity Setting Social Skills 

Objective: 

Enabling the participants to design social skills 

that are to be practiced throughout the training 

workshop. 

Strategies: 

Group Activity. 


Resources: 

White/black board. 

White sheets. 


Resource persons would facilitate in discussing, 

recording and displaying the social skills. 

Be careful for having readable writing. 

Procedure: 

Share course participants about the importance 

of social skills and elicit their opinion. 

Ask course participants to share social skills. 

Give hint to course participants about the social 

skills that lie in the categories of work such as: 

time management, sharing and questioning, 

regularity, punctuality, etc. 

Write responses on the black/whiteboard. 

Ask one of the course participants to write 

social skills on a sheet of paper and display it 

in the corner of the training hall/room. It may 

be noted that displayed sheet may be easily 

visible to all the participants. 

11

2 - 

12 

- Module 

Developing Conceptual Framework for Environmental Education 


This module will enable Master Trainers to: 

Understand what environmental education is and how to teach it in a school; and 

Search the environmental education themes in the textbooks being taught in the public and private schools. 

Purpose of the Module: 

Through this module, the participants of the training 

program would be able to learn what environmental 

education is and how to teach it in a school. 

Later on, the support would be extended to 

exploring the themes of environmental education in 

the textbooks being used in the public and private 

schools. Through this activity, the participants 

would be able to identify the units/lessons that are 

matching with the environmental education themes 

being introduced in the Module 3.

1 - Session Learning Environmental Education 

Objective: 

At the end of the session, the participants would 

be able to understand the concept, signifi cance 

and implications of environmental education in 

real life. 

Strategies: 

Watching a documentary and talking about it. 

Reading. 

Discussion. 


Resources: 

A documentary. 

Reading Material # 1 (see the annexed reading 

pack). 

Multimedia. 


Distribute participants into groups in a way that 

each group should contain a mixed setting of 

slow or passive and active participants who would 

collaborate with each other. 

Procedure: 

Watch a documentary 

Talk about documentary: look at the environmental 

concepts, issues, etc. 

Make four groups and distribute Reading # 1 

(provided in the reading package given at the 

end of the manual) giving one paragraph to 

each group. 

Provide a set of questions to each group to 

respond and prepare presentation. 

Invite groups for making presentations. 

13

2 - Session 

Objective: 

To enable the participants locate the themes of 

environmental education in the existing textbooks 

being taught in the public and private schools. 

Strategies: 

Analysis and presentation. 


Resources: 

Textbooks from Class I-X used in the Public/ 

Private Schools in Sindh. 


Ensure the arrangement of all textbooks at the 

training venue. 

14 

Searching for Environmental Education 

Themes in the Textbooks 

Procedure: 

Distribute participants into four groups. 

Divide the Textbooks of Science, Social 

Studies, English and Sindhi/Urdu into four 

groups (Giving a set of textbooks related to 

each subject to a group). 

A list as Appendix – B is already provided 

showing certain topics identifi ed. 

Ask groups to identify environmental education 

themes. 

Provide a framework to each group to prepare 

and deliver the presentations. 

Other groups will give feedback.

3 - 

- Module 


To facilitate the participants to: 

Learn about the environmental education themes through different activities. 

Purpose of the Module: 

This module will enable the training participants 

to learn about environmental education themes. 

These themes include: 

1. Ecosystems and their Conservation 

2. Soil 

3. Biodiversity 

4. Wetlands 

5. Forests 

6. Population 

7. Natural Resources and their Depletion 

8. Pollution 

9. Climate 

10. Energy 

Teaching and Learning About Environment 

First of all, the theme is defi ned and explained 

along with suitable examples through the provided 

readings. Second step is to link that learning 

with participants’ prior knowledge. Third step is 

involving participants into the activities so that 

they may develop better understanding about 

the concept. In the fourth step, participants are 

required to identify the units/lesson in the school 

textbooks of science, social studies, language and 

mathematics so that later on, they could integrate 

with the environmental education themes. 

15

I - Theme Ecosystems and Their Conservation 

Objective: 

Enabling the participants to: 

Understand the concept of ecosystem; and 

Identify the lessons/units in the textbooks that 

relate the concept of climate. 

Strategies: 

Looking for pictures of different ecosystems 

on multimedia/ or photographs. 

Sharing prior knowledge. 

Briefl y reading about the concept. 

Doing activities like enlisting and identifying. 


Resources: 

Pictures related to different ecosystems, 

Multimedia, etc. 


Use of examples and critical incidents along with 

prior knowledge would be an asset for the session. 

16 

Procedure: 

Look at the pictures of different ecosystems 

on multimedia/ photographs and talk about 

them. 

Ask participants to list down the living and 

non-living components of an ecosystem, 

and ask them to identify interrelationship of 

different components of an ecosystem with 

each other and with ecosystem. 

Share with participants the concept of 

ecosystem, different ecosystems, examples, 

etc. In this regard, it would be quite useful 

going through the Reading Material # 2. 

In relation to this, please open the provided 

textbooks and identify the lesson/units focusing 

the concept of ecosystem.

1 - Activity 

Objective: 


be able to develop a model of a forest to show 

the concept of ecosystem. 

Strategies: 

Working in group setting to produce concrete 

things through discussion and sharing ideas. 


Resources: 

Branches of trees, plants and grass. 

Clay or plaster of Paris. 

A big hard sheet of empty carton or a piece of 

chip board. 

Colours. 

Brushes. 

Glue. 


Facilitating in shape of providing instant feedback 

serves the purpose of check and balance. Keeping 

this in mind, facilitate participants along the way to 

produce sound outcomes in terms of better use 

of skills and deriving new knowledge. 

Developing a Model of an Ecosystem 

– Forest 

Procedure: 

You are setting a model of a forest; therefore, 

fi rst see what you need to include in the 

model. For example, a forest has trees, plants, 

birds, animals, grass, etc. 

First decide how you are making this model. 

The possible ways of setting things could be 

through bringing real objects or pictures of 

things you would like to have displayed in the 

model. 

Keep in mind the forest that exists in your 

area/or vicinity to make the model. 

You may bring clay to make animals and birds, 

branches of trees to show as trees and plants, 

pieces of grass to show grass, etc. 

First, keep a big hard sheet of empty carton or 

a piece of chip board. 

Use clay or plaster of Paris to make animals 

and birds and let them dry. Later colour them 

to have a real look. 

Paste the branches of trees and plants with 

glue. 

Display names of things by using small cards. 

17

2 - Activity Investigating Your Local Environment 

Objective: 


be able to identify the living and non-living 

components of their local environment. 

Strategies: 

Field work. 

Investigation. 


Resources: 

Thermometer. 

Hand lens. 

Light meter. 

Humidity meter. 


Facilitating in shape of providing instant feedback 

serves the purpose of check and balance. Keeping 

this in mind, facilitate participants along the way to 

produce sound outcomes in terms of better use 

of skills and deriving new knowledge. 

Procedure: 

1. Select a garden/forest or fi eld for your 

research. 

18 

2. For the area that you have selected, look for 

all the living things you can fi nd as proof of 

existence of other organisms. Use a hand lens 

if necessary. Do not remove any living thing 

from its habitat. 

3. Record all the organisms in the form of a 

table. 

a. In the air, 

b. On plants, 

c. On the ground surface 

d. In the soil 

4. List out non-living things of your study 

area such as ambient air temperature, soil 

temperature, relative humidity and amount of 

light or shade. 

5. Identify the relationship between living things 

and non-living things of studied habitat with 

your fellows, who studied other areas. 

Questions: 

1. Do you fi nd the same type of organisms living 

in areas with different physical features? 

2. Explain why living things should not be 

removed from their habitat? 

3. Explain how living and non-living parts of the 

environment are related to each other?

3 - Activity Building a Food Chain or Food Web 

Objective: 


be able to learn about the concept of food chain 

or food web in an ecosystem. 

Strategies: 

Observation. 

Recording. 

Discussion. 


Resources: 

Charts. 

Markers. 

Some Reading Material (optional). 


You may start by giving the example of humans to 

share a food web. 

Procedure: 

1. Look at these food chains. 

Grass → Caterpillar → Sparrow → Sparrow hawk 

Leaves → Worm → Sparrow → Eagle 

Leaves → Rabbit → Eagle 

Grass → Rabbit → Eagle 

Leaves → Caterpillar → Sparrow → Sparrow hawk 

2. Write the names of different living organisms 

found in your area on a separate pieces of 

paper and arrange them into a food web on a 

clean piece of paper/chart. Use the following 

steps to help: 

Put all the plants at the bottom of the 

page. 

Put anything which eats the plants one 

layer above them. These are the primary 

consumers. 

Put anything which eats the primary 

consumers one layer above them. These 

are the secondary consumers. 

Put anything which eats the secondary 

consumers one layer above them. 

Do not worry if some animals in the same 

level eat each other. 

Stick the boxes on the paper. Draw arrows 

to connect the boxes into a food web. 

Questions: 

1. What is a food web? 

2. Defi ne 

a) Primary consumers 

b) Secondary consumers 

c) Tertiary consumers 

3. What will happen if a component of a food 

web is removed? 

4. Defi ne: 

a) Food chain 

b) Food web 

19

II - Theme Soil 

Objective: 


be able to: 

Understand and share the concept of soil; and 


relate to the concept of Soil. 

Strategies: 

Reading material. 

Searching textbooks. 


Resources: 

Reading Material # 3. 

20 

Procedure: 

Participants should go through the Reading 

Material # 3 about Soil. 

Respond to the provided questions at the end 

of the reading. 

In the light of the above reading, share one or 

two examples and elicit similar examples from 

the participants. 

In the light of the reading, search for textbooks 

to identify the lessons/units in the textbooks 

that relate to the concept of Soil.

1 - Activity Experimenting Soil 

Objective: 

At the end of the session, the participants could 

be able to distinguish/recognise the various types 

of soil. 

Strategies: 

Activity through experimentation. 


Resources: 

Samples of soils. 

Newspaper. 

Dustpan. 

Brush. 


Ensuring availability of all materials before the 

activity will make this activity interesting. 

Following the procedure as required by the 

activity. 

Procedure: 

You have some soil samples. Use the key below 

to identify the type of soil in each sample. 

Key: 

1. Pick up a handful of soil. Let it run through 

your fi ngers. 

a. Is the soil gritty but not sticky? 

Yes: go to question 2. 

No: go to question 1b. 

b. Is the soil sticky but not gritty? 

Yes: go to question 3. 

No: go to question 1c. 

c. If the soil is neither gritty nor sticky, your 

soil is a loam. 

2. Hold the soil in your palm and press the soil 

between your hands. 

Then open your hands. 

a. Does the soil form a ball? 

Yes: your soil is a sandy loam. 

No: go to question 2b. 

b. If the soil does not form a ball, does it 

make a muddy mark on your hand? 

Yes: your soil is loamy sand. 

No: our soil is sand. 

3. Rub some soil between your fi ngers and look 

carefully at the soil which has passed through 

your fi ngers. Does the surface of the rubbed 

soil have a shine? 

Yes: your soil is a clay loam. 

No: your soil is a silt loam. 

Assess the soil by asking how soils differ from 

each other and describe in words or write a short 

note. 

21

2 - Activity Walk in a School Garden 

Objective: 

Providing participants the exposure of garden and 

enabling them to assess the soil of their school 

garden. 

Strategies: 

Walk and observe. 


Resources: 

A pen and a simple notebook to collect 

notes. 


Watching a documentary of a garden can also be 

opted if there is no garden in the school or near 

to school. 

Visit to a garden is a fantastic way of learning 

about a whole range of issues to do with soils, 

22 

plants, trees, product and the environment, as 

well as bringing many other benefi ts. The garden 

can be used to fi nd out the importance of soil 

and its magical properties. The garden can help 

you develop an understanding of the needs of our 

damaged plants. 

Procedure: 

Move to a garden 

Observe the 

1. Kind of soil in the garden. 

2. Relationship between soil, plants and 

humans. 

3. Continuing care and maintenance in the 

garden. 

4. Unhealthy plants and fi nd out the reason 

of that. 

Synthesize your observations. 

Prepare the presentation and deliver.

III - Theme Biodiversity 

Objective: 

To enable the participants to: 

Share/learn the concept of biodiversity, its 

kinds and importance with particular reference 

to Indus Ecoregion; and 


relate to the concept of biodiversity. 

Strategies: 

Eliciting prior knowledge through brainstorming. 

Reading literature 

Presentation. 


Resources: 

A Reading on biodiversity (given as Reading 

Material # 4) and textbooks. 


Ensure that participants would have understood 

the concept of biodiversity through their own 

understanding emerged as a result of personal 

experiences from interaction with home, society 

and school. Use of textbooks in this process 

would be advantageous. 

Procedure: 

Arrange presentation on biodiversity with 

specifi c attention to biodiversity of Indus 

Ecoregion. 

Participants go through the Reading Material # 

4 on biodiversity. 

Respond to the provided questions at the end 

of the reading. 

Sharing examples from daily life eliciting the 

concept of biodiversity. 

Participants will identify the textbook lessons/ 

units that focus on the concept of biodiversity. 

Discuss why biodiversity is important. 

23

1 - Activity Observing Biodiversity 

Objective: 

To enable the participants to observe biodiversity 

in the surroundings and record notes. 

Strategies: 

Working as a group. 

Observing and taking notes. 

Discuss outcomes. 


Resources: 

A notebook to record observations. 

A bag or basket to keep searched things. 


Facilitate participants to bring out as much 

examples of biodiversity as possible. This will help 

to build strong idea about biodiversity. 

24 

Procedure: 

Move out of classroom to a garden /nearby 

forest or agricultural fi eld with the intention to 

observe biodiversity in your surroundings. 

While observing you may record: the living 

things like birds, animals, insects, plants, trees, 

etc. 

Record their actions like feeding, fl ying, 

sleeping, making home, protecting themselves, 

their impact on humans and humans’ impact 

on them etc. 

Collect concrete things that may support your 

observations and outcomes.

2 - Activity ABC Book of Nature 

Objective: 

To enable the participants prepare the ABC Book 

of Nature through fi eld trip/observation. 

Strategies: 

Field Observation. 

Recording. 

Preparing. 

Displaying. 


Resources: 

A notebook to record observations. 

Hard sheets. 

Colours. 

Scissors. 

Markers. 

Pencils. 

Rubber. 


Give clear instructions to participants that they 

have to observe things/animals according to 

English alphabet. 

Procedure: 

Clearly brief the participants about the task: 

To fi nd one object in nature for every letter 

of the alphabet. (For example, A for Ant, B for 

Bug, C for Caterpillar, L for Lion, etc.) 

Take all the participants for a nature walk, 

where the participants could observe the 

nature things/living beings. 

Participants to record observations such as 

what they see, their actions, life etc. 

After returning, ask participants to create an 

ABC Book of Nature using one page for each 

letter of the alphabet. 

Collect pictures or draw pictures, colour them 

and paste with scotch tape or glue. 

Write a few words about each of the things 

you observed. 

Arrange the pages in alphabetical order. 

Give a suitable title to your ABC Nature 

Book. 

25

IV - Theme Wetlands 

Objective: 


be able to: 

Learn about the concept of Wetlands; and 


relate to the concept of Wetlands. 

Strategies: 

Watching a video. 

Reading. 

Discussion. 


Resources: 

A Video. 


26 


Facilitate participants to use personal experiences 

of life. Use of textbooks in this process would be 

advantageous. 

Procedure: 

Participants to watch a documentary on 

wetlands to understand the concept 

Go through the Reading Material # 6. 

Respond to the given questions. 

Do a small discussion about the threats 

pertaining to wetlands in our context and 

determine the possible strategies to conserve 

this natural resource.

1 - Activity Tour of a Wetland 

Objective: 


be able to learn about wetlands through direct 

observations. 

Strategies: 

Field trip. 

Observation. 

Recording. 


Resources: 

A notebook, a pen. 

Binoculars if possible. 


In case, if there is no wetland nearby then 

photographs or a documentary may also be 

arranged as an alternate. 

Procedure: 

If you have wetlands near your school, take 

participants for a fi eld trip there. 

Participants make a list of animals, birds, and 

other creatures they see in the wetlands. 

Bringing binoculars if possible to make observations 

more enriched. 

Also record the impact of humans on wetlands 

and importance of wetlands for livelihood. 

Participants, after observation, may draw 

or develop their own model of a wetland 

ecosystem and label all the creatures in their 

habitats. 

27

2 - Activity Developing the Model of a Wetland Ecosystem 

Objective: 

At the end of the session, the participants would be 

able to develop a model of a wetland ecosystem. 

Strategies: 

Working as a group. 


Resources: 

Marker. 

Thermopile sheet. 

Chart paper. 

Sand. 

Water Colours. 

Scissors. 


In order to facilitate participants, the picture of a 

wetland can be brought to have a stronger idea. 

Procedure: 

Participants after observation of wetland 

and its ecosystem may draw a model of the 

wetland on a thermopile sheet, using the chart 

28 

paper to label the components of a wetland 

ecosystem. 

Look at what has been collected from the visit 

of a wetland. 

Draw a sketch on the paper so as to devise 

the model of a wetland accordingly. 

Place the things and label them. 

The group may look up for interesting fi ndings 

and facts that could be emphasised on the 

model using water colours, sand or small 

models of wildlife of the area. 

Arrows can be used to reveal important 

information, like the food chain or linkages 

among different components of a wetland 

ecosystem. 

The model may also contain linkages and 

dependency of human on wetlands, showing 

their livelihood resources such as fi shing. 

Show the impact of humans on wetland 

ecosystem by showing the dumping of industrial 

effl uents from a nearby industry or various 

anthropogenic activities such as hunting and 

over exploitation. 

Deliver your presentation and get feedback.

V - Theme Forests 

Objective: 

At the end of the session, the participants will be 

able to: 

Learn about the concept of Forest; and 


relate to the concept of forest. 

Strategies: 

Watching documentary. 

Reading material. 


Make a discussion. 


Resources: 

Documentary on “Life Around the Mangrove 

Forests.” 

Reading Materials # 7 and 8. 


Facilitate in understanding the difference between 

the kinds of forests and the impact of deforestation 

on human survival. 

Procedure: 

Participants watch a documentary on “Life 

Around the Mangrove Forests.” 

While watching, they may take notes. 

Resource person should initiate the discussion 

on the documentary. 

In relation to the documentary, the participants 

should read about the concept of forest 

(Reading Materials # 7 and 8). 

Involve participants into a discussion pertaining 

to forests in the Indus Ecoregion. 

Discuss why forests are important. 

Search for the units/lessons in the textbooks 

that relate to the concept of forests. 

29

1 - Activity Planting a Tree 

Objective: 


be able to plant trees to make their area green 

and contribute to nature conservation. 

Strategies: 

Planting a tree. 

Discussion/debriefi ng. 

Writing refl ection. 


Resources: 

A pen and a notebook. 

Plants. 

Shovel. 

Water. 


Facilitate the participants to devise questions that 

need to be kept in mind while observing a tree. 

30 

Procedure: 

Take your participants to an open area may 

be within your school, where you fi nd some 

space to plant trees. 

Purchase/voluntarily get some saplings of 

plants from a nursery. 

Distribute the participants into groups and 

assign a sapling to each member of the group. 

When one group would be planting a tree, 

other groups would observe the planting 

activity. 

After completion of task, ask participants for 

vocal refl ections as to: 

1. How they felt while planting a tree? 

2. How they can motivate the society for 

tree plantation? 

Take a pledge from the participants to plant 

more tree and take care of them.

2 - Activity Debate on Forest 

Objective: 


be able to fi nd out the issues and possible solution 

through the debate. 

Strategies: 

Debate. 


Resources: 

It may be the pictures or newspaper cuttings to 

provide as proof of statements/arguments. 



Good debate starts with strong concerns that 

really exist in the context of forest and its impact 

on humans and vice versa. 

Procedure: 

Divide your students in two groups: 

Red group: this group will be taking the role 

of farmers bordering the forest (nearby). You 

need to cut and burn forest in order to grow 

agricultural crops. 

Green group: this group will be taking the role 

of scientists who are monitoring the effects of 

deforestation on environment. 

The groups will discuss and make a list of as 

many ideas as possible to support their case. 

They will need a note taker and two speakers 

to speak on behalf of their group. As a group, 

they need to choose these three people. 

Each group will get a sealed envelope with 

some extra information that they can use in 

making their case. 

Give 15–20 minutes for the preparation of 

their case. Remind them that each group 

should have two speakers so they will need to 

share out some of the ideas. 

The debate: 

Ask for the fi rst speaker from each group to 

come out and present their case. The note 

taker should take notes about what the other 

group is saying. The second speaker will then 

be able to speak about these points and 

answer them at his/her turn. 

After each group has had its turn, it will be 

given a fi ve-minute break to consider the 

other group’s arguments. 

The second speaker from each group will then 

speak from each group to sum up all the main 

points. 

The jury: 

When the debate concedes, tell the students that 

they are free to change their mind based on what 

they have heard from each of the groups. Now 

fi nd out, if they still agree that the riverine forests 

should be destroyed to support the local farmers 

grow agricultural crops. 

Questions: 

1. Why are forests important for us? 

2. What are the benefi ts of forests? 

31

VI - Theme Population 

Objective: 


be able to: 

Learn about the concept of population increase and 

its impact on families with limited resources; and 


relate to the concept of population. 

Strategies: 

Listen to a story. 

Share personal refl ections. 

Perform reading. 



Resources: 

A story. 


Textbooks. 

32 


Story telling or reading are the best ways of 

creating learning through enjoyment. It also helps 

learners to be imaginative about characters that 

are there in the story. 

Procedure: 

Participants would listen to a story about a 

family which has limited resources but the 

number of children in the family is increasing 

every year. This family suffers due to lack of 

resources/income. 

After the end of the story, ask participants what 

they have understood/learnt from the story. 

Write down important points on the chalk 

board. Point out the underlying issues and ask 

about the possible strategies. 

Finally sum up the discussion.

1 - Activity 

Objective: 

Involve participants in conducting a household 

survey to analyse the burden on an ordinary family 

due to increase in the population. 

Strategies: 

Survey. 

Analysis. 

Evaluation. 

Debriefi ng. 


Resources: 

A one-page survey tool. 


This activity needs time, therefore, see its applicability 

during a training programme. 

Procedure: 

Participants should plan a survey and conduct 

it in free time at home. 

A household survey to determine the impact of 

population increase over scarce resources. 

The next day, participants should present the 

outcomes of their survey. 

The survey questions could be: 

1. How many members are there in your 

family? 

2. How many adults and how many children 

are there in your family? 

3. How many are working and how many are 

dependent? 

4. Do they have their own house? 

5. How many kids are school going? 

6. How do they celebrate the common 

events? 

7. Do they have any loan to pay? Why did 

they take loan? 

8. How do they maintain their health, clothing, 

food, etc? 

9. What happens, when household size 

increases? 

In your survey, compare small and large family 

households in terms of access to various 

resources and the quality of life. 

As a group, present the fi ndings and get 

feedback. 

33

2 - Activity 

Objective: 


be able to know the impact of increase in number 

of members in a family with limited income. 

Strategies: 

Drama/role play. 

Discussion. 


Resources: 

Plot for a drama. 


Tips for setting a plot of a drama: 

Plot of a drama: Two families; one small and one 

large. 

Family characters: father, mother, children, grand 

parents, etc. 

34 

Presenting a drama showing impact of population 

increase on limited resources/income within a family. 

Drama Scene: changing scene with small family and 

big family. 

Dialogues: Write your own dialogues that show 

the impact of scarce resources on a large family. 

Also show how a small family enjoys life. 

Procedure: 

Plan and set a plot for a drama (according 

to above tips) on the issue of increase in 

population and its impact on a large family 

with limited resources/income and simultaneously 

on a small family keeping in view the 

local context. 

Write the dialogues, do the rehearsal and 

perform it before the audience. 

Debriefi ng/discussions over the content and 

presentation of the drama.

VII - Theme Natural Resources and Their Depletion 

Objective: 

At the end of session, the participants would be 

able to: 

Learn about the concept, kinds, issues related 

to natural resources, and 


relate to the concept of natural resources and 

their depletion. 

Strategies: 

Watching a documentary. 

Discussion. 



Resources: 

A documentary. 


Textbooks. 


Ask the participants to note down the causes of 

depletion of natural resources and their impact on 

human lives. 

Procedure: 

Watch a documentary relating to natural 

resources and their depletion. 

If there is time available, please go through the 

reading provided in the reading package about 

depletion of natural resources and its impact 

on earth and human lives. 

Relate the documentary with real life. 

Search for textbooks and identify the units/ 

lessons related to the above concept. 

Have a discussion and get feedback from the 

resource person. 

35

1 - Activity Discouraging Misuse of Water 

Objective: 


be able to learn about the signifi cance of water as 

a resource and its effective utilisation. 

Strategies: 

Role play. 

Debriefi ng. 


Resources: 

Costumes (if available). 


Support participants in setting the plot of the drama 

and the dialogues would be highly productive 

during the whole process 

36 

Procedure: 

Setting groups of 4-5 participants in each 

group. 

Ask all groups to set a situation underlying the 

main theme “water is scarce; there is misuse 

of water; and setting strategy to use water 

optimally.” 

One situation could be: the farmer who over 

uses water to irrigate his agricultural land. Over 

the time, this resulted in problem of his land 

turning waterlogged and saline with decreased 

productivity. 

The other examples may be wastage of water 

in our homes through pipe leakages, etc. 

After all presentations, there should be a 

debriefi ng session.

2 - Activity Depletion of Wildlife 

Objective: 


be able to learn about the depletion of wildlife 

due to illegal hunting. 

Strategies: 

Reading a story. 

Discussion. 

Debriefi ng. 


Resources: 

A story. 


Conceiving own story would be a constructive 

activity. Facilitating all participants to do so would 

make them creative while teaching students in the 

classroom. 

Procedure: 

Setting groups of 4-5 participants in each 

group. 

Ask all groups to develop a story based on 

the theme “Depletion of wildlife due to illegal 

hunting.” 

One story could be on illegal hunting of Hog 

Deer. 

Discuss the importance of wildlife for human 

beings. 

Participants to share their views on depletion 

of local wildlife. Who is responsible for this 

depletion? What could be done? 

After all presentations, there should be a 

debriefi ng session. 

37

VIII - Theme Pollution 

Objective: 


be able to: 

Learn about the concept and kinds of pollution, and 


relate to the concept of Pollution. 

Strategies: 

Reading and responding to the questions. 

Searching/identifying concepts. 


Resources: 

Reading Material. 

Textbooks. 

38 


Make the participants understand pollution with 

the real life examples. The concept of critical 

incidents from real life can be portrayed through 

drawings or vocal or written expressions. 

Procedure: 

Read the poem provided as Reading Material # 11. 

Within the poem, identify concepts/issues, 

relate them with real life, and suggest any 

possible strategies. 

Make groups of 4-5 participants and ask them 

to go through Reading Material # 10 and in 

relation to that search/identify the lessons/units 

in the textbooks that relate to the concept of 

pollution.

1 - Activity Observing the Different Kinds of Pollution 

Objective: 


be able to understand further about the kinds of 

pollution through their participation in the investigation. 

Strategies: 

Field observation. 

Recording of data. 

Discussion. 

Presentation and Feedback. 


Resources: 

A notebook and a pen. 


Prior to conducting the activity, search for the 

spots, where you would take the participants to 

make them involved in the process of identifying 

the different kinds of pollution. 

Procedure: 

Keep in mind that you have to observe all 

kinds of pollution: air, water, noise and earth 

pollution in your outdoor study/activity. Please 

choose nearby spots where you could fi nd 

out/observe all these kinds of pollution. 

First of all, select a traffi c intersection for your 

study. Look at all the vehicles on the road, and 

observe: 

Smoke that is coming out from each vehicle 

type, count such vehicles, feel smoke and 

its impact. 

Record the number of vehicles that are 

creating noise, feel the impact of the noise, 

etc. 

Observe condition of environment and any 

diffi culty in breathing due to polluted air. 

List the types of vehicles on the road. 

Observe the number of environment friendly 

and non-environment friendly vehicles. 

Next spot of observation is a solid waste/ 

garbage point that may be lying in the corner 

of a street or any street, where there is no 

arrangement of the garbage collection. Move 

close to the point of observation and record: 

What do you see around? 

How do you feel? 

In your opinion, what would be the impact 

of this mismanagement on the residents? 

In your opinion, what items in the garbage 

may be recycled or reused? 

Also move to a street where you fi nd the 

garbage management system. Please do 

compare both the streets. 

Final observation is regarding water pollution. 

In this regard, visit any industrial area or nearby 

drainage system. 

Ask the participants to notice pollutants and 

poisonous chemicals in the drain coming from 

the factory and domestic sewage city. 

Discuss where these pollutants are ending up 

and their possible impacts on human health 

and ecosystem. 

Share the facts about water borne diseases in 

community areas due to water pollution. 

Make the list of various sources of pollutants, 

which are the main cause of water pollution in 

participants’ areas. 

After doing fi eld observations, please analyse 

and synthesise the fi ndings. 

Participants share their fi eld observations with 

the entire group and give their feedback. 

Sum up the session with major fi ndings, which 

all participants may note down and display in 

the corner of the training hall. 

39

2 - Activity 

Objective: 

To enable participants identify the types of waste, 

causes of waste generation, and the ways of waste 

management. 

Strategies: 

Discussion. 

Preparation of sheets/charts. 

Presentation. 


Resources: 

work sheet, plain big sheets, markers, etc. 

Procedure: 

Make four groups. 

Distribute worksheet (given below) to the 

groups. 

Give clear instructions: what to do, how to do, 

how to conclude, etc. 

Facilitate all participants during the process. 

Ask groups for presentation. 

Give feedback to the groups. 

Worksheet 

Type of Waste Causes of waste generation Strategy for waste management 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

40 

Determine the Types of Waste, Causes of 

Waste Generation and Waste Management

3 - Activity Making Recycled Items From Solid Waste 

Objective: 

Enabling participants to collect waste material and 

develop teaching resources. 

Strategies: 

• Collection of waste material. 

• Making no cost/low cost resources. 


Resources: 

Waste or disposed off items. 

Glue. 

Scissors. 


Guide participants in collecting waste items 

like empty cans, bottles, cartons, straws, old 

newspapers, magazines, etc. 

Procedure: 

Ask participants to bring waste material like 

empty cans, bottles, cartons, straws, old 

newspapers, magazines, etc. from home. 

Distribute participants into groups and ask 

them to make teaching resources. 

Present the resources to get feedback. 

41

IX - Theme Climate 

Objective: 


be able to: 

Learn about the concept and issues of 

climate with particular reference to the Indus 

Ecoregion, and 


relate to the concept of climate. 

Strategies: 

Reading and responding to questions. 


Resources: 


Textbooks. 

42 


Using examples from local context will be helpful 

for the participants to understand the concept of 

climate change. 

Procedure: 

Go throuth the Reading Material # 12. 

In the light of the reading, have a discussion on 

“human factors affecting climate and possible 

strategies to reduce global warming.” 

Conclude the discussion with the production 

of chart including possible strategies that help 

in reducing the global warming.

1 - Activity 

Objective: 


be able to visualise the depletion of ozone layer 

and its impact on life on earth. 

Strategies: 

Watching a documentary. 

Discussion. 


Resources: 

Watch a documentary on “Saving the Ozone 

Layer: Every Action Counts.” 

Watching a Documentary on Climate 

Change Effects 


In a free time, see the documentary and note 

down the discussion questions. 

Procedure: 

Participants watch the documentary on “Saving 

the Ozone Layer: Every Action Counts.” 

After watching the documentary, discuss 

the documentary focusing issues such as: 

increasing pollution and its impacts on climate, 

and the impact of global warming with special 

reference to the Indus Ecoregion. 

43

2 - Activity Depletion of Ozone Layer 

Objective: 


be able to understand the concept of depletion of 

ozone layer. 

Strategies: 

Demonstration. 

Discussion. 


Resources: 

Table lamp. 

Card paper. 

Scissor. 


Do at least one practice before you introduce to 

the participants. This will ensure experiment in a 

better manner. 

Procedure: 

Take one table lamp, a card paper, and scissors 

for this activity. In this activity, the table lamp is 

shown as the Sun and the card paper as Ozone 

layer. Lit the table lamp and put paper over the 

open top of it and explain the participants that 

this ozone layer blocks the ultraviolet radiation 

from the sun from reaching directly to earth. 

After that, make a hole in the same paper to 

demonstrate depletion of ozone layer (hole 

in space) by putting it back over the open top 

of the table lamp. The ultraviolet sunrays can 

now directly pass through the hole, reaching 

the earth and causing skin cancer and other 

damages to living tissues. Ozone depletion is 

caused by certain chemicals know as Chlorofl 

uorocarbons (CFCs) which are used in refrigeration 

and air conditioning units. 

44 

Questions: 

What is the ozone layer important for? 

What are the causes of ozone layer depletion?

3 - Activity Global Warming 

Objective: 


be able to understand how a reduction in carbon 

dioxide emissions prevents global warming and 

ozone layer depletion. 

Strategies: 

Debate. 


Global Warming is defi ned as “an increase 

of the earth’s temperature by a few degrees 

resulting in an increase in the volume of water 

which contributes to sea-level rise. The warming 

predicted to occur as a result of increased emissions 

of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and 

methane.” 

Procedure: 

Divide your students into four groups: 

Red group: it will represent the United States. 

This is the richest country in the world, and also 

the largest in the production of carbon dioxide. 

It wants to continue its production of carbon 

dioxide to maintain the high standard of living and 

the industry competitive. 

Blue group: it represents China, a very large 

country with a huge population. The country has 

vast deposits of coal and wants to develop its 

industry. 

Green group: it represents The Gambia, a very small 

country in Africa with rich rainforests but no coal 

or oil. The country wants to improve the standard 

of living for its people. 

Yellow group: it represents Pakistan, a developing 

country. It currently produces a good amount 

of coal and oil but wants to develop its industry 

further. 

Each group is supposed to discuss country’s 

views on the motion and make a list of 

as many ideas as possible to support their 

case. They are required to discuss what 

they know about global warming, and what 

the views of people from their country 

would be towards it. If necessary, they can 

consult books or do some research on the 

internet. 

They will need a secretary to take notes 

and two speakers to speak on behalf of 

their group. As a group, they need to 

choose three people. 

Provide each of your groups with a sealed 

envelope with some extra information. 

Give them 15–20 minutes to prepare their 

case. Remind them that each group should 

have two speakers so they will need to 

share some of the ideas. 

The debate 

Ask for the fi rst speaker from each group to come 

out and present their case. The secretary should 

take notes about what the other group is saying. 

The second speaker will then be able to speak 

about these points and answer them when it is 

his/her turn to speak. They can ask questions when 

each speaker has fi nished. After each group has 

had its turn, it will be given a fi ve-minute break to 

consider the other groups’ arguments. The second 

speaker will then speak from each group to sum 

up all the main points. 

45

The jury 

When the debate concedes, tell the students that 

they are free to change their mind based on what 

they have heard from each of the groups. Then ask 

them, whether they agree that all countries in the 

world should immediately plan to reduce carbon 

dioxide emissions by 50% within fi ve years. 

46 

Questions: 

1. What will happen if global warming persists? 

2. What are the causes of global warming? 

3. How can we stop global warming? 

4. Are there any local impacts of global warming 

in your area? 

5. Identify the types and impacts in the different 

geographical areas of Pakistan. 

6. How green house gas effect can be 

minimized? 

7. What actions could be taken at the community 

level in terms of saving energy, paper, etc?

4 - Activity Green House Effect 

Objective: 


be able to learn about the green house effect. 

Strategies: 

Experimentation. 

Explanation. 

Discussion. 

Time A: 60 minutes 

A green house is a room which has glass 

walls. It is used for growing plants because glass 

walls retain the sun’s heat as a result of which 

the temperature inside the green house rises. 

Nowadays, CO 2 concentration in our atmosphere 

has increased as a result of fossil fuels consumption, 

population explosion and deforestation. Umbrella 

of CO 2 in atmosphere traps the sun’s heat and 

prevents it to escape and causes global warming. 

Thus, a green house effect is produced. 

Procedure: 

Discuss the topic to motivate the participants. 

Take the participants to a green house in a 

nearby area. With the help of a thermometer 

ask the participants to measure the degree of 

hotness inside the green house and outside the 

green house and note down the readings on 

a piece of paper. Compare the temperature 

of inside with outside to demonstrate the 

difference due to trapping of heat inside the 

Green House. 

Now, participants should be able to understand 

that the temperature inside the green house is 

higher than outside the room because inside 

the green house heat is trapped due to green 

house effect. Relate this phenomenon to 

green house effect produced by the higher 

concentration of CO 2 and other gases in the 

atmosphere. The CO 2 has great capability to 

trap the heat energy from the sun. 

47

X - Theme Energy 

Objective: 


able to understand the concept and kinds of energy. 

Strategies: 

Elicitation through brainstorming. 

Reading brief about energy. 

Sharing examples or issues. 


Resources: 


In physics and other sciences, energy (from the 

Greek - energeia, “activity, operation”, from 

energos, “active, working”) is a scalar physical 

quantity that is a property of objects and systems 

which is conserved by nature. Energy is often 

defi ned as the ability to do work. 

Several different forms of energy, including, but 

not limited to, kinetic, potential, thermal, gravitational, 

sound energy, light energy, elastic, electromagnetic, 

chemical, nuclear, and mass have been 

defi ned to explain all known natural phenomena. 

While one form of energy may be transformed 

to another, the total energy remains the same. 

This principle, the conservation of energy, was 

fi rst postulated in the early 19th century, and 

applies to any isolated system. According to 

Noether’s theorem, the conservation of energy is 

a consequence of the fact that the laws of physics 

do not change over time. 

48 

Procedure: 

1. Involve participants in sharing their prior 

knowledge about the concept of energy. 

2. Ask them to read the provided text. 

3. Share learning along with examples from the 

context.

1 - Activity 

Objective: 


able to understand the role of energy in biosphere. 

Strategies: 

Showing pictures. 

Discussion. 

Presentation. 


Resources: 

Four pictures of the sun, plant, animal and man 

labeled with a, b, c and d. 

Procedure: 

Display four pictures i.e. a, b, c, d and initiate brainstorming 

process. Tell the participants how energy 

fl ows from sun to other sources of energy. 

Divide students into four groups. 

By discussion and sharing ideas allow them 

twenty minutes to answer the following 

questions: 

1. What is the difference between the use of 

energy by plants, animal and men? 

2. Enlist activities, which are responsible for 

energy loss. 

3. Make a list of fi ve steps, in which energy 

can be saved in special circumstances. 

Allot fi ve minutes to each group for presentation 

of their information. 

Questions: 

1. How does energy give force to biosphere? 

2. What do you mean by energy fl ow from one 

source to another? 

3. What are natural compounds which store energy? 

4. What steps do we take for saving energy? 

5. How can we spread the message of saving energy? 

Understanding the Role of Energy in 

Biosphere 

Picture (a) 

Picture (b) 

Picture (c) 

Picture (d) 

49

2 - Activity 

Objective: 


be able to decide about the most suitable power 

station to be constructed at particular geographical 

locations to generate electricity with minimum 

negative impacts on environment. 

Strategies: 

Group work. 

Presentations. 

Sharing ideas. 


Resources: 

Books or leafl ets on various types of power 

generation. 

Access to PC connected to the internet. 

OHP, acetates and pens, or card paper and 

pens. 

Posters, or PC with Power Point. 


Clarifi cation of all the four options to the participants 

would facilitate them in making better 

decision. 

Procedure: 

You are going to do some research about the environmental 

impacts of various ways of generating 

electricity. Having become a specialist about 

that type of power station, you will present your 

fi ndings to a panel (the class), which will compare 

the environmental impacts of each option. Finally, 

you will look at some sites to decide on the best 

power station for each site. Your group will be 

making a presentation to the class about the type 

of power station you have investigated. 

50 

Generating Environment – Friendly 

Electricity 

A. Researching power stations: 

Choose from the list below on which mothed 

of generating electricity you will conduct your 

research: 

Coal 

Oil 

Gas 

Hydroelectric Power (HEP) 

Wave 

Tidal 

Wind 

Solar 

Geo thermal 

Bio mass 

Nuclear. 

Use the questions below to help you do your 

research: 

1. What is needed to run the power station? 

2. How pollution is produced? 

3. How far does the pollution spread and how 

does it affect the surroundings? 

4. What are the other effects the power station 

has on the environment? 

5. Are there any long-term effects on the 

environment? 

6. What accidents might occur and how serious 

these might be? 

7. How will the power station affect the local 

population? 

8. Will the power station generate a lot of 

power? 

B. Choosing which type of power station: 

Listen carefully to the presentations about types 

of power stations from all the groups in your class. 

Make notes of important points. 

Decide, which type of power station to construct 

in each of the following locations:

a. There are beautiful mountains here, with high 

snowfall and rainfall. Many tourists come here 

for skiing and climbing. The weather can be 

lovely in the summer but the winters are harsh. 

A power station is needed for the big cities to 

the south (where there is no spare building 

land) and the local villages. There is coal under 

the western half of the mountains. 

b. There are lovely beaches in this area and it is 

home to thousands of seabirds, some of them 

are rare. Many people spend their summer 

holidays here. Hence, more power is needed 

for the small towns and holiday villages where 

they stay. There are no big cities in the region, 

and no coal, oil or gas reserves. A strong wind 

comes from the sea and many places are 

named after it. The area can be stormy with 

high waves. 

c. This is a wonderful place for a holiday, the sun 

shines almost every day, the wind is gentle 

and the seas are calm. There are no fossil 

fuel reserves, which is a problem as more 

power is needed for the dozen or so small 

towns on the island. There is an oilfi red station 

using imported oil, and more could be built 

nearby. The biggest problem is the amount of 

electricity used for the air-conditioned hotels. 

d. This city in northern Britain needs a lot of 

power. Some of the old power stations need 

replacing. There are supplies of coal under 

the fi elds, and oil and gas out to sea, about 

20 miles away. There are large slow-fl owing 

rivers. Between here and the coast, there 

are no more large towns, just a few isolated 

villages. 

51

4 

- Module 


52 

Developing and Implementing an Environmental Education 

Programme in Schools 

This module will enable the participant to develop and 

implement an Environmental Education Programme 

in schools

1 - Session Teaching Environmental Education 

Objective: 


be able to: 

Develop an integrated lesson plan; and 

Teach and evaluate the lesson. 

Strategies: 

Planning. 

Teaching. 

Evaluation. 


Resources: 

Lesson plan template provided as Appendix-C. 

Textbooks. 


Putting an example in lesson plan template will give 

fi rst hand idea to the participants, which they will 

follow later on while developing their own lesson 

plans. 

Procedure: 

Ask participants to make groups of equal 

number and mixed population. 

Participants open the lesson plan template 

provided in the Appendix pages. 

Select content from the textbooks (class 1 to 

X). 

Develop a lesson plan by using the steps. 

Teach and assess the lesson. 

Evaluate the lesson. 

Debriefi ng and providing feedback. 

53

2 - Session Understanding and Practicing Nature Club 

Objective: 

Enabling participants understand the concept and 

signifi cance of a nature club in school and facilitate 

in identifying activities. 

Strategies: 

Reading. 

Sharing. 

Discussion. 

Preparing chart. 


Resources: 


Activity template given as Appendix-D. 


Explain the signifi cance of nature club in the context 

of school environment and with concrete examples. 

A Nature Club is the friendly association of 

school head teacher, teachers and students and 

possibly the outside community having common 

goal, objectives and activities to save nature and 

make this as the part and parcel of school curricula 

and culture. Through the Nature Club, students 

learn about the signifi cance of natural resources 

and environment. 

A Nature Club may include activities like: 

Everyday school cleanliness 

Collecting waste for development of resources 

Conducting environmental exhibitions 

Tree plantation and beautifi cation of school 

Nature tour/walk 

Quiz competitions 

Writing competition 

Watching documentaries 

Taking part in indoor and outdoor sports 

Conducting environmental enquiries/research 

54 

Lecturing on environmental education/issues 

by a seasoned expert/teacher 

Mentoring junior teachers 

Conducting mass awareness campaigns 

Procedure: 

Distribute participants into groups. 

Ask groups to identify existing co-curricular or 

extra-curricular activities of school. 

Display tasks/activities of nature club given 

below on a white/blackboard or on the wall: 

1. Nature tour 

2. Nature study camp 

3. Quiz, speech, poster competition 

4. Nature exhibition/ nature at display 

5. Preparing ABC book of nature 

6. Preparing teaching/learning aids (mobiles, 

models etc) 

7. Solid Waste Management (sorting of 

various waste material, safe disposal of 

solid waste) 

8. Inviting local resource persons in 

schools to talk about various aspects of 

environment. 

Ask participants to fi nd out which environmental 

education activity can be done during which 

co/ extra curricular activity in school. The 

template is provided as Appendix - D.

1 - Activity Nature Tour 

Objective: 


be able to: 

1. Understand the concept of nature tour; and 

2. Get the idea of how to plan and evaluate a 

nature tour. 

Strategies: 

Reading. 

Planning. 

Performing. 


Resources: 


Activity sheet. 


Managing the available time carefully during a walk 

or tour help making tour purposeful and resultoriented. 

A. Preparatory Phase 

1. Choose a place. 

2. Gather information about the proposed place 

of visit. 

3. Rationalise the visit. 

4. Discuss the risk factors and prepare for that. 

5. Formation of groups. 

6. Assigning tasks. 

7. Prepare tools for data collection. 

B. Action Phase 

1. Making arrangements of visit including: 

Conveyance, food, stay, negotiation with place 

administration. 

2. Travel to place. 

3. Data collection. 

4. Food/refreshment. 

5. Travel back. 

C. Analytical and Evaluative Phase 

1. Discussion. 

2. Suggestions and Recommendations. 

3. Conclusion. 

Procedure: 

Make groups of the participants. 

Brief them the steps of conducting a nature 

tour. 

Assign tasks. 

For instance: Group A: Collect leaves from 

various plants, paste them on a white sheet 

and identify the fl oral species; Group B: Collect 

various waste material, paste or draw them on 

a white sheet and write few sentences about 

them; Group C: Observe various animals, 

draw them on a white sheet and write few 

sentences on each of them. 

Deliver the presentation and get feedback at 

the end of the activity. 

55

3 - Session 

Objective: 


be able to develop an action plan for promoting 

environmental education in school. 

Strategies: 

Working on an action plan template through 

discussion and sharing ideas and present it. 


Resources: 

Action plan template, provided as 

Appendix-E. 


Action plan needs to be a realistic document that 

will be implemented in the school. 

56 

Preparing Environmental Education Action 

Plan for School 

Procedure: 

Ask participants to make groups of equal 

number and mixed population. 

The resource person will exemplify all steps 

fi rst to facilitate participants in understanding 

the idea of action plan. 

Develop action plan by using the format 

provided as Appendix - E. 

Later on, all groups will present their action 

plan and get feedback to improve it.

5 - 

- Module 


Implementing Training in the Field 

This module will enable master trainers to enhance their expertise in developing, organising and implementing a 

training programme for teachers on the subject of environmental education. 

57

1 - Session 2 - Session 

58 

Training Program on Environmental 

Education 

Objectives: 

Understand the concept and signifi cance of 

teachers’ training as a model of professional 

development. 

Strategies: 

Reading. 

Discussion. 

Brainstorming. 


Resources: 



Ensure that the distribution of course participants 

is done in a way that the slow and active learners 

would collaborate. 

Procedure: 

Participants will go through the Reading 

Material # 14. 

Participants respond to questions provided 

at the end of the reading in order to share 

learning. 

Objective: 

Enable participants to understand the steps of a 

training programme. 

Strategies: 


Reading. 


Steps of a Training Progamme 

Resources: 






Procedure: 


Distribute the reading into four parts assigning 

two parts to each group. 

Ask them to respond to the given questions 

and prepare presentation. 

Deliver the presentation and get feedback.

1 - Activity Designing a Training Programme 

Objective: 

Enable participants to design a training 

programme. 

Strategies: 


Planning through discussion. 


Resources: 

Training Plan Format provided as Appendix - F. 





Procedure: 


Ask groups to design a training programme 

by following training plan format provided as 

Appendix – F. 

After designing, each group will present and 

get feedback. 

59

A ppendices 

A - Appendix Textbook Analysis 

60 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

Topic Textbook and class Environmental Education 

Theme (How does it link) 

Link with the Indus 

Ecoregion

B - Appendix 

List of Environmental Education 

Concepts Identifi ed in Textbooks 

S.No. EE theme Textbook Topic Subject Class Page 

1. Indus Ecoregion Physical Parts of Sindh 

Social Studies 

IV 29 

2. Physical parts of Pakistan V 41 

3. Visit of River III 11 

4. Biodiversity Science III 1-18 

5. Neem Tree (Poem) English IX 17-18 

6. Daffodils English IX 33 

7. Biodiversity V 1-10 

8. Dolphins English IV 31-33 

9. The sad story of a peacock English V 58-62 

10. Living things Science VI 1 

11. Fresh Water Social Studies III 11 

12. States of water Science IV 36-41 

13. Tarbella Dam Sindhi V 51-52 

14. Importance of Water Science V 36 

15. Natural Resources Natural and Energy 

resources 

Social Studies V 59 

16. Conservation of Natural 

Resources 

III 12-16 

17. Pakistan’s Resources Social Studies IX & X 68 

18. Stone made things Science IV 69-71 

19. Forests Natural Forests (Plants and 

Trees) 

Social Studies IV 47 

20. Energy Science V 50 

21. IX & X 124 

22. Climate Social Studies IV 37 

23. Pakistan’s climate V 50 

24. Land and Climate of 

Pakistan 

IX & X 50 

25. Population Social Studies III 21-22 

26. IV 61 

27. V 75 

28. VII 59-69 

29. Increasing Population VIII 42 

30. Pakistan’s Population IX & X 114 

61

S.No. EE theme Textbook Topic Subject Class Page 

31. Environmental Problems Problems of our Province Social Studies IV 80 

32. Our environment Science III 19-21 

33. A morning walk English IV 7-8 

34. Environment Environment IV 14-21 

35. V 23-26 

36. VI 45-59 

37. Sindhi VIII 19 

38. Environment and Natural 

Resources 

IX & X 101 

39. Let’s improve our village Sindhi V 55-56 

40. House and Domesticity Sindhi V 77-79 

41. Pollution Understanding own 

problems 

Social Studies V 100 -108 

42. English IV 80 

43. Science IV 22-26 

44. Protecting myself against 

Pollution 

English VII 16-21 

45. Industry Social Studies V 66 

46. Sugar Mill Sindhi V 68-70 

47. Pakistan’s Industrial 

Development 

Social studies IX & X 95 

48. Health Making body healthy Science V 19 

49. Keeping Good Health English VIII 47-61 

50. Human and health Science IX & X 54 

51. A healthy life English IV 71-74 

52. Food Web Science III 22-24 

53. General Science VIII 8 

54. Food and Nutrition Biology IX & X 138 

55. Soil Science III 59-61 

56. Changing surface of our 

soil 

IV 72 

57. Rahim’s Farm English III 19-22 

62

C - Appendix Lesson Plan Format 

There are several formats of the lesson plan. Below 

is one of the formats, which can easily be used in 

environmental education sessions. 

1. Topic (Write the topic clearly) 

2. Textbook (Write the name of textbook and 

class, for which the lesson is being planned.) 

3. Objectives [(Objectives should be within 

three domains): Cognitive (knowledge), 

psychomoter (skills) and effective (behavioural 

and emotional)] 

4. Teaching Resources (Audio-Visual aids 

and teaching kit, disposable resources, etc.) 

5. Procedure: 

a. Prior knowledge (Eliciting prior knowledge 

and experiences that should lead to 

construct new learning) 

b. Knowledge development (On the basis of 

prior knowledge, develop new knowledge. 

This knowledge can be the learners’ own 

ideas, inventions, discoveries, feelings, 

behaviour, etc. This step includes activities 

– both related to classroom and outside, 

description, etc.) 

c. Assessment (This is what fi nally students 

have learnt. There are several ways of 

assessing students except the paper pencil 

text.) 

6. Feedback (This is the input from the teacher 

regarding the ambiguity that are found.) 

7. Evaluation (This is to measure the quality 

of the process as well as the product.) 

8. Revised planning (This is done after 

evaluation to see what ambiguities were in the 

lesson plan and how they can be made more 

clear.) 

63

D - Appendix 

64 

Activity Template For Co-curricular 

Activities For Promoting Nature Club 

Schools’ co-curricular Activities EE Activity to be incorporated Expected Outcomes 

Parents day/Result day Organise a quiz, speech, poster 

competition/nature painting 

exhibition among students. 

Students and their parents 

get awareness about various 

themes of environment. 

Students are encouraged by 

their parents. 

Poster prepared by students 

can be displayed in school as 

resource material. 

School excursion or picnic Nature Tour or Nature Camping. Students learn how to 

interact with nature. 

Research skills among 

students enhanced. 

Students collect various 

specimens from natural 

environment, which could be 

displayed in school’s nature 

corner or classrooms. 

Schools corridor or library Place nature cellection/exhibits in 

a corner, place garbage bins by 

specifying which waste should be 

thrown in, display ABC book of 

nature. 

Class room Display environmental messages 

or poster/charts and painting, 

place garbage bins. 

Lawn or compound wall Pits for waste disposal, plantation, 

a pond. 

Students learn from various 

teaching exhibits. 

Environment-friendly 

classrooms. 

Students’ learning enhanced. 

Improvement in physical 

space of school. 

Morning assembly Invite a local resource person. Knowledge about local 

environment enhanced.

E - Appendix Action Plan Template 

S# What (Tasks) Why 

(Expected 

Outcomes) 

What will be 

the activities 

keeping in view 

their priority 

or urgency or 

sequence? 

1. Organise a 

nature tour to 

Pai forest. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

What do 

you want to 

achieve? 

20 students 

and 3 teachers 

will learn 

about a unique 

ecosystem. 

When 

(Duration) 

Date or day 

or month? 

On 24 

October. 

Who 

(Organisers) 

Who has 

the lead role 

and who is 

supporting? 

Head 

Teacher and 

Nature Club 

Incharge. 

Where 

(Location) 

Mention 

where the 

activity is 

being carried 

out? 

How (Required 

Resources and 

process) 

Mention the 

process and 

required 

resources? 

Pai forest. Transport, food, 

Forest Offi cer 

(Resource 

person). 

65

F - Appendix Designing & Training Programme 

Tile: (How do you name the training?) Teachers 

Training in environmental education. 

Purpose: (Why do you want to organise the 

training?) To promote environmental education 

in schools of target areas by enhancing the 

knowledge and skills of school teachers in environmental 

education 

Specific objectives: (What exactly do you 

want the participant to know or act after receiving 

the training…) 

To develop a cadre of trained teachers in environmental 

education, who: 

Can understand the concepts of environment 

such as biodiversity, pollutions, population 

growth, natural resource conservation etc. 

Improve their understanding about the 

importance of environmental education. 

Can understand and practice some teachinglearning 

activities and tools to promote environmental 

education and awareness among 

students. 

Develop and implement a simple action plan 

to promote environmental education in their 

schools. 

Curricular outline (What is to be delivered 

in the training….) 

Session Plan: 

Sessions Time Duration Expected 

outcomes 

66 

Session 1: What is environment and its 

components? 

Session 2: What and why is environmental 

education and why is it necessary? 

Session 3: Some teaching learning tools and 

methodologies about environmental 

education. 

Session 4: How to plan a lesson to teach an environmental 

theme by incorporating it 

with the existing curriculum? 

Session 5: What is Nature Club, how does it 

function and what are its activities? 

Proposed facilitators and resource 

persons (who is facilitating the 

session?) 

Action Plan 

Intake Phase 

Get prior approval. 

Arrange venue. 

Inform CPs. 

Prepare yourself (develop your session plan). 

Arrange material and resources required. 

Get confi rmation of the participants. 

Evaluation, Feedback and Follow up 

Evaluate Training. 

Write a report. 

Recommend follow up action. 

Methodology Material 

required 

Facilitator/Resource 

person

R 

eading Package 

67

1 - Reading Environmental Education 

Background 

The word ‘Environment’, according to the Oxford 

Dictionary, means surroundings. Abbas, S. T. and 

Akbar G. (2003) in their book “Mabadiat Mahol” in 

Urdu version have very nicely described the word 

‘Environment’. According to them, Environment 

is the word of Arabic language, which means 

everything that is available in our surroundings. 

Further they say that on our right and left, above 

and below, here and there - the point or extent 

we can visualise, are: land, air, light, darkness, dust, 

fi re, water, animals, plants and those creations of 

Allah Almighty, which we cannot see, are the part 

and parcel of the environment. 

Being humans, we interact with our environment 

and whatever is available in our surroundings. 

This interaction is very much important in terms 

of our sustainability. The other side of the coin 

is that when we interact, we face problems and 

issues, which not only hinder our sustainability 

process but also affect the world in which we live. 

As a result of our everyday practices of violating 

natural principles, the other creatures like animals, 

birds, trees, plants, etc. on this earth are affected 

seriously. In this regard, Abbas, S. T. and Akbar G. 

(2003) say that human is the vicegerent of Allah 

Almighty on Earth. All the things have been made 

subordinated to humans. It is therefore required 

that humans do justice or in other words create 

a balance between their actions and natural 

phenomena; otherwise, everything will come 

under risk. It is true that violating natural principles 

will affect the planet and survival of humans and 

other creatures. 

As the human population grew rapidly, the 

natural resources, which are scarce, came under 

threat. Secondly, humans’ excessive reliance 

on technology, industry, and weaponisation 

brought the life of this planet and its creatures 

68 

including humans under heavy risk. The international 

economic policies have given boost to the 

economies of the world but at the same time 

have resulted in pollution and huge deforestation 

causing global warming and climate change; 

thus creating a devastating impact on humans and 

other creatures on earth to a great extent. 

The academia realised that education could only 

be the strongest source of motivating humans to 

change their practices. It was in year 1948 that 

IUCN used the term ‘Environmental Education’. 

Gradually, the term became common in the 

academic world. 

Significance and Scope of Environmental 

Education 

Understanding the subject of environmental 

education is as important as the other subjects like 

science, mathematics and language. environmental 

education provides the opportunity to learn about 

environmental concepts like natural resources, 

climate, biodiversity, etc, to which, as humans, 

we are very much concerned. This subject also 

provides awareness of the environmental problems 

we usually face in our routine life. These problems 

include: increase in pollution, burden on resources 

as a result of rapid increase in the population, 

global warming as a result of industrialisation. 

Amin, A. and Hussain, A. (2004) say that the need 

for environmental education emerged because of 

the rapid growth of environmental problems. It 

would not be wrong to say that these environmental 

problems are created as a result of human 

unawareness of the consequences of the environmental 

problems. For example, establishment of 

the industries within the human settlements may 

cause respiratory and eyesight problems due to 

unchecked fumes and emissions. 

Learning and practicing of environmental education

at school level provides several benefi ts, for 

example, children keep themselves neat and clean, 

they manage disposables and use natural resources 

with care, they develop environmental clubs having 

main objective of working for awareness, collective 

action, making action as a part of the daily routine, 

etc. Overall, the environmental education plays a 

vital role in managing our environment sustainabily 

at school level and beyond. 

Environmental Education in our 

Textbooks 

The word ‘Environmental Education’ (EE) may 

be new in the context of our schooling in Sindh 

province but teaching of environmental education 

concepts is quite an old practice. This subject is 

taught as an integrated subject. Many concepts are 

available in our existing textbooks of social studies, 

languages: Sindhi, Urdu and English, and Science 

from class III to class X. 

The concepts of environmental education are 

available in the textbooks and are being taught for 

many years in school but not as a separate subject. 

The second issue is that teachers are not trained 

so that they could identify and teach the concepts 

and issues that lie in the domain of environmental 

education. The third issue is that in the past 

no initiative has been taken by the government 

or non-governmental organisations to educate 

teachers in developing a know how of teaching 

environmental education concepts alongside the 

primary concepts. 

As a result of these genuine issues, the learners 

do not have suffi cient knowledge of environmental 

education concepts and issues and therefore, 

no solid change in children’s attitude towards 

their environment looks evident. Why children 

do not show this change though teaching learning 

is there? It is a leading question that requires to 

be addressed with pertinent analysis. The close 

observations of teaching learning of environmental 

education concepts point out a critical issue of 

a lack of understanding of the concepts in relation 

to the enhancement of understanding of environmental 

education and developing the ownership. 

Teaching learning of these concepts is very much 

dull in the sense that teaching is based only on 

memorisation of the concepts. Children usually 

memorise and do not understand. The concepts 

of EE strongly suggest involvement of children into 

various types of actions. Involvement in the actions 

can only ensure better understanding along with 

the realization, ownership and commitment to 

resolve the main environmental concerns. As a 

result of this, children would be active and civilised 

members of the society. 

Environmental Education Beyond 

Our Textbooks 

The content knowledge available in our present 

textbooks is not suffi cient. It should be upgraded 

and enriched through a variety of ways including 

introduction of creative ways of teaching and 

learning. There is a variety of sources of learning 

Environmental Education apart from the textbooks 

such as newspaper articles on environment 

published in local languages and in English, magazine 

and children’s literature, nearby agricultural fi elds, 

gardens, small ponds of water and lakes, meeting 

farmers, gardeners, etc. A teacher should plan the 

sessions where he/she could read the textbook 

knowledge and later think about the other sources 

that could help enrich his knowledge about the 

particular Environmental Education concepts. 

The ecological regions of Sindh are of great signifi - 

cance. Our kids must know about the place where 

they live. This can only be done when we educate 

our children through real life learning of environmental 

concepts by schooling. For this purpose, 

training of school teachers on environmental 

education could be considered as an essential 

step so that school teachers could develop strong 

expertise in teaching children. 

Conclusion 

The question of what is being taught is based on 

69

how is it being taught. And how is it being taught is 

based on what a teacher has. The present professional 

state of our school teachers is deplorable. 

Regarding the teaching of environmental education, 

the school teachers seriously lack not only the 

basic conceptual understanding of environmental 

education but also emphasise on direct method of 

teaching, which promotes only the rote learning 

Questions about Reading 

Group A: Background 

Questions: 

1. How can you defi ne the word ‘Environment’ 

in your own words? 

2. What happens when we violate natural 

principles of environment? Articulate what you 

have understood; give examples. 

3. What is the impact of population increase 

on environment? Please support your answer 

with the examples. 

4. What is the main reason of global warming 

and climate change? 

Group B: Significance and Scope of 

Environmental Education 

Questions: 

1. Why do we need to learn about environmental 

education? 

2. What happens when we do not learn about 

environmental education? 

3. What Amin, A. and Hussain, A. (2004) say 

about environmental problems? 

4. In your opinion why do they say that? 

5. What may be the impact of learning environmental 

education at school level? 

Group C: Environmental Education in 

our Textbooks 

Questions: 

1. Which subjects focus on the environmental 

education? 

70 

and memorisation. Keeping this entire scenario 

in mind, the initiative of teacher training in environmental 

education is highly appreciated in our 

context. It is hoped that as a result of this initiative, 

a drastic change would be observable in teachers 

and the students. 

2. Please describe the issues within existing 

teaching of environmental education? 

3. How can these issues be resolved? How far 

do you agree with the provided strategies and 

why? 

4. Do you teach environmental education in your 

school? How do you teach? Do you consider it 

an appropriate way? 

Group D: Environmental Education 

Beyond our Textbooks 

Questions: 

1. In your opinion, what could be the sources of 

EE knowledge apart from the textbooks? 

2. In your opinion, do you think the existing 

textbook on environmental education 

concepts may be extended? 

3. Do you think learning about the Indus 

Ecoregion is important for us? Please argue. 

4. Give at least one example of extending 

textbook knowledge and linking it with Indus 

Ecoregion. 

Group E: Training School Teachers in 


Questions: 

1. In your opinion, why do teachers need to be 

trained in EE? 

2. Please describe various methods of teaching EE? 

3. What are the possible strategies of teaching EE?

2 - Reading Ecosystem 

The Nature has created this earth with a great 

diversity. The major elements of this earth are: 

land, water, air, light, living beings and their habitats. 

For their survival, all these elements depend upon 

each other. All these elements constitute the 

physical environment of this earth. 

The physical environment of this earth is made of 

several ecosystems called forests, wetlands, river, 

mountains, deserts, agricultural land, etc. 

In simple terms, an ecosystem is a community 

of plants, animals and microorganisms that 

interact with each other and with their physical 

environment. Forests, streams, lakes, coral reefs, 

grasslands, deserts, and rotting logs are all examples 

of ecosystem. Animals and plants in an ecosystem 

connect to and depend on each other for food, 

shelter, pollination and many other things. What 

happens to one member of an ecosystem can 

have an impact on the whole system. Although 

all species are important, some species, called 

keystone species, play critical roles in ecosystems. If 

a keystone species is removed from an ecosystem, 

it is likely to cause a major disruption to that entire 

ecosystem. 

Human activities or natural disasters such as: 

fl oods, fi res, or drought, can cause a change in 

an ecosystem. Humans can also have a negative 

effect on ecosystems in many ways such as 

through clearing forests, over-hunting or over-harvesting 

plants, or polluting the air, soil, and water. 

Sometimes disruptions can be more severe or 

more frequent because of the way humans use 

the environment. 

There are several ecoregions in the world; Indus 

Ecoregion is one of them. The River Indus starts 

from Himalayas and ends up in the Arabian Sea 

by making a Delta called Indus Delta. The Indus 

Ecoregion exits in Sindh province, which represents 

a great diversity of ecosystems: biodiversity, water, 

soil, forests and other natural resources. 


1. What are the major elements of earth? 

2. Please describe the ecosystems that form the 

physical environment of this earth? 

3. What is an ecosystem? 

4. How ecosystems change? 

5. What do you know about the Indus 

Ecoregion? 

71

3 - Reading Soil 

Soil is a thin layer of material on Earth’s surface in 

which plants have their roots. It is made up of many 

things such as: withered rock, decayed plant and 

animal matter. Soil is formed over a long period of 

time. It can take the period of 1000 years or more. 

It is formed when many things interact such as air, 

water, plants, animals, rocks, and chemicals. Soil is 

formed from the weathering of rocks and minerals. 

The surface rocks break down into smaller pieces 

through a process of weathering and is then 

mixed with moss and organic matter. Over time, 

this creates a thin layer of soil. Plants also help in 

the process of development of soil. Plants attract 

animals and when animals die, their bodies decay. 

Decaying matter makes the soil thick and rich. This 

process continues till the soil is fully formed. 

Types of Soil 

Sand, silt and clay are the basic types of soil. Most 

soils are made up of the combination of these 

three types. The texture of the soil, how it looks 

like, depends upon the amount of the three 

components in that particular soil. 

Soil erosion, caused by the wind and rain, can 

change land by wearing down mountains, creating 

valleys, making rivers appear and disappear, etc. It 

is a slow and gradual process that takes thousands 

and even millions of years. But erosion may be 

speeded up by human activities such as farming 

and mining. Soil, as we know, develops very slowly 

over a long period of time but can be lost too 

quickly. The clearing of land for farming, residential, 

and commercial use can quickly destroy soil. 

Soils of the Indus Ecoregion 

The rich soils of Sindh is indeed a gift of River 

Indus having 580 miles length bisecting the region 

into two parts: east and west valley forming rich 

72 

areas with forests, deserts, and agricultural lands. 

Sindh, from north to south, assumes a pattern of 

three parallel belts: a central stretch of rich alluvial 

plain bisected by the River Indus; in the west, there 

exists mountains called Kirthar range; and in the 

east, there is a sandy desert belt. The mountainous 

belt has little soil and is mostly dry and barren. The 

easterly desert region fi rst appears in the north as 

low dunes and vast fl ats. Continuing southward, 

the Achharo Thar (White sand desert) occurs in 

the middle of the belt and is followed by the Thar 

Desert in the southeast. The central riverine belt, 

which is 360 miles long and about 20000 square 

miles in the area, constitutes the valley of the Indus. 

The fertile plain, gradually slopping down from 

north to south in its long gradient forms the three 

fl at regions: Siro (the upper), Vicholo (the middle) 

and Larr (the lower). The variety of soils includes: 

pakki or patt, the fl at land of old alluvial forming the 

northern strips of Sukkur, Jacobabad and Larkana 

districts; Reti-wari, the soft reddish rocky soil of the 

belt skirting the northwesterly rocky range; Kacho, 

the fertile silt in the narrow inundated belt of the 

Indus River; Wariasi, an admixture of soft clay and 

sand remains on both sides of Indus; Kalar, found 

mostly in the Larr region. 


1. What is soil? 

2. What are the components of soil? 

3. How do plants help in the making of soil? 

4. What are the types of soil? 

5. What roles do humans play in the erosion of 

soil? 

6. How do you describe the varieties of soil of 

Indus Ecoregion?

4 - Reading Biodiversity 

What is biological diversity? 

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life forms, 

ecosystems or habitat, and the range of genetic 

diversity among the living organisms – it includes 

diversity within species, between species and of 

ecosystems. It is, therefore, an umbrella term for 

the richness and variety of living things in the world 

as a whole or in any location within it. This variety 

provides the building blocks that allow adjustment 

to changing environmental conditions. Since all 

life froms depend on the uninterrupted function 

of natural ecosystems that ensure fl ow of energy 

and nutrient in a given ecosystem, therefore, 

conserving biodiversity on earth has become an 

accepted goal all over the world (Biodiversity 

Action Plan 2000.) 

Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth. It 

encompasses everything ranging from the tiniest 

microorganisms to the tallest trees, from creatures 

that spend their entire lives deep in the ocean to 

those that soar high above the Earth’s surface. 

The word biodiversity also describes the wealth 

of habitats that house all life forms and the interconnections 

that tie us together. All of Earth’s 

ecosystems and the living things that have evolved 

within them—including the fantastic range and 

expression of human cultures—are part of our 

planet’s biodiversity. 

Today, as ever, human beings are dependent of 

life for their sustenance, health, well-being and 

enjoyment on fundamental biological systems and 

processes. Humanity derives all of its food and 

many medicines and industrial products from the 

wild and domesticated components of biological 

diversity. Biotic resources also serve recreation 

and tourism, and underpin the ecosystems, which 

provide us with many services. 

While the benefi ts of such resources are considerable, 

the value of biological diversity is not 

restricted to these. The enormous diversity of life 

in itself is of crucial value, probably giving greater 

resilience to ecosystems and organisms. Biodiversity 

also has important social and cultural values. 

Biodiversity of Indus Ecoregion 

The land along the main river course is very fertile 

and a variety of crops are cultivated there. Fisheries 

of the area include the Indus Baril, Indus Garua and 

Golden Mahaseer. Indus is also the habitat of the 

blind Dolphin. Owing to arid conditions, the fl ora 

of Sindh chiefl y consists of thorny trees and plants 

with either small or no leaves. The riverine forest 

on the bank of the Indus harbor Acacia, Tamarix 

and Prosopis spp. The mammals found in riverine 

tract are Wild boar, Jackal, Foxes, and Hog deer. 

A variety of freshwater and brackish wetlands 

provide ideal habitats for a variety of birds and 

aquatic species. Some of these wetlands such as 

Keenjhar, Haleji, Nurri Jubbo, Keti Bundar have 

been declared as Ramsar sites as they exit on 

Indus fl yway and are important habitats for several 

species of resident and migratory birds. All these 

wetlands serve as wintering grounds for waterfowl 

such as fl amingoes, duck and shorebirds. The 

Indus Delta is habitat of four mangrove species 

including, Avicenina marina, Agiceras corniculatum, 

Ceriops tagal and Rhizophoro mucronata. Mangrove 

ecosystem is a rich habitat for wildlife of terrestrial 

and marine origin. 

Among the wild animals, the Sindh ibex, Wild 

sheep, and Black bear are present in the western 

rocky range. In the eastern region, Striped hyena, 

Jackal, Fox, Porcupine, common Gray mongoose, 

and Hedgehog can be found in the lower rocky 

73

plains. The Sindhi phekari (Red lynx or Caracal 

cat) can also be seen in certain areas. Pharrho 

(Hog deer) and Wild boar, a variety of bats, lizards, 

and reptiles including cobra, Lundi (Viper), the 

mysterious Sindh krait reside in the central region. 

Crocodiles are rare and inhabit the backwaters 

of the Indus and its eastern Nara region. Besides 

a variety of marine species like the Plumbeous 

dolphin, the Bottlenose dolphin, Rorqual or Blue 

whale, and a variety of skates visit the coastal 

areas of Sindh. The Green turtle and Olive Ridley 

turtle frequent the shores of the Karachi coast for 

nesting. 


1. What is biodiversity? 

2. What are the three kinds of biodiversity? 

3. Why is biodiversity important? 

4. What are the major threats to biodiversity? 

5. What are the specialties of biodiversity of the 

Indus Ecoregion? 

6. How do you consider the case of Indus River 

Dolphin as an endangered species? 

74 

5 - Reading 

Indus River Dolphin 

The Indus River Dolphin is an endangered species, 

found in the Indus River with a population estimate 

of only 1,100, facing serious threats. A decrease in 

the water level is perhaps the most critical of all the 

threats facing this species. Construction of dams 

and barrages, intensive agricultural practices, poor 

water management, municipal sewage, unsustainable 

fi shing practices and mortalities in the fi shing 

gear all have adverse effects on the habitat of the 

Indus River Dolphin. 

Sindh Wildlife Department and WWF – Pakistan 

have taken several initiatives to conserve the viable 

population of Indus River Dolphin by protecting 

the innate biodiversity of the lower Indus river 

basin Eco-system, and reducing the losses of Indus 

River Dolphins due to canal stranding through 

rescue operations. 

Other major project activities involve improvement 

of agricultural practices through the development 

of Better Management Practices (BMPs) and 

awareness through a conservation centre and 

ecotourism. These interventions incorporate a 

strong component of supporting livelihoods of 

stakeholder communities. 

Source of Information: http://www.wwfpak.org/ 

index.php 


1. Where is Indus Dolphin found? 

2. What are the major threats to Indus Dolphin? 

3. Please enumerate the steps being taken to 

save Indus Dolphin. 

4. In your opinion, what measures should be 

taken to save Indus Dolphin?

6 - Reading Wetlands 

What is Wetland? 

Wetlands are defi ned as “areas of marsh, fen, peatland 

or water, whether natural or artifi cial, permanent or 

temporary, with water that is static or fl owing, fresh, 

brackish or salty, including areas of marine water 

the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six 

metres.” (Ramsar Convention, 1971) 

Functions of the wetland ecosystem 

Wetlands are among the world’s most productive 

ecosystems. Wetland ecosystems are cradles of 

biological diversity, providing water and primary 

productivity upon which countless species of 

plants and animals depend for survival. They 

support high concentrations of birds (especially 

waterfowl), mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fi sh 

and invertebrate species. 

Wetlands provide tremendous economic benefi ts 

to mankind. Following are some of the important 

functions of the wetland ecosystem. 

Supplies water. 

Sustains agriculture, industry, tourism and 

commerce. 

Sources of fi sh and other foods. 

Acts as vast sponges for holding water, thus 

reducing fl oods. 

Recharges groundwater systems. 

Maintains water quality by trapping sediments, 

retaining nutrients, and removing toxins. 

Prevents saline intrusion in coastal areas. 

Recycles nutrients. 

Oxygenates the water and release clean water 

into the environment. 

Stabilises microclimate. 

Provides transportation networks, especially in 

rural areas without roads. 

Provides a wide range of housing materials. 

Serves as valuable educational tool. 

Provides exceptional sources of recreation. 

Acts as valuable wildlife refuge. 

Provides wintering, feeding and resting grounds 

for migratory birds. 

Often has profound cultural and /or spiritual 

signifi cance to local people. 

Threats to Wetland Habitats 

Lack of conservation awareness; ignorance of 

the ecological and economic importance of 

wetlands. 

Diversion of water for irrigation. 

Eutrophication. 

Drought. 

Pollution from domestic sewage, industrial 

wastes. 

Reclamation for urban/ industrial 

development. 

Poaching/Hunting of wildlife. 

Over-harvesting of fi sheries resources. 

Introduction of exotic species. 

Over grazing. 

Poorly regulated recreational use/ tourism. 

Important wetlands of Indus 

Ecoregion 

1. Haleji Lake 

It is an artifi cial freshwater lake comprising 

an area of 1,704 ha. The lake is a wildlife 

sanctuary and a Ramsar site. It is one of 

the most important breeding, staging and 

wintering areas for waterbirds, supporting 

between 50,000 and 100,000 birds annually, 

including Dalmatian Pelican, European Wigeon 

and Black Coot. Thousands of Black-crowned 

Night Heron roost in the area. The lake is also 

a source of livelihood for local communities 

through fi shing and other wetland products. 

75

2. Keenjhar Lake 

It is the largest freshwater lake in Pakistan 

covering an area of 13,468 ha. It is a wildlife 

sanctuary and a Ramsar site. It is also an internationally 

important area for breeding, staging 

and wintering waterbirds, supporting as many 

as 140,000 birds, including European Wigeon, 

Black Coot and Common Pochard. The lake 

is a major source of drinking water for Karachi 

and supports a variety of species. Breeding 

birds include Night Heron, Cotton Teal, 

Pheasant–tailed Jacana, Purple Moorhen, and 

also some passerines. 

3. Indus Dolphin Reserve 

The 170 km stretch of the River Indus from 

the Sukkur Barrage upstream to the Guddu 

Barrage near Kashmore has been declared as 

Indus Dolphin Reserve. This particular stretch 

of the river is very important for the survival 

of more than 500 remaining individuals of the 

Indus dolphin (Platanista minor). This unique 

species is endemic to Pakistan and listed in the 

Appendix I of CITES and the IUCN Red List 

2000. Riverine forests predominated by Acacia 

nilotica and Prosopis cineraria exist in adjacent 

fl ood plains. 

4. Hub Dam 

Hub Dam is located in the districts of 

Karachi and Lasbella, in Sindh and Balochistan 

provinces. It is a large water storage reservoir 

constructed in 1981 on the Hub River. The 

site is an important staging and wintering area 

for grebes, pelicans, ducks, cranes and coots. 

It regularly supports over 45,000 water birds. 

The reservoir is also an important spawning 

ground and a source of fi sh. 

5. Indus Delta 

Indus delta is located in the districts of Thatta 

76 

and Badin. It is a typical fan shaped delta spread 

over an area of 600,000 ha from Pitiani creek in 

the west to Sir Creek in the east. It comprises 

seventeen major creeks. Indus Delta is said to 

be the fi fth largest delta in the world, and is 

considered unique, because of the fact that it 

experiences the highest wave energy of any 

river in the World. The delta is predominated 

by mangrove vegetation. Major animals found 

in the Indus Delta include Humpback and 

Bottlenose Dolphins, Finless Porpoise, Whales, 

Indian Python, Sea Snakes, Saw-scaled viper 

and aquatic and common birds. The delta is 

also rich in fi sh and shrimp diversity which are 

a source of livelihood for local fi sherfollks. 

6. Hamal Lake 

Hamal Lake is a shallow natural depression 

and has been formed by the construction of 

the fl ood protection barrage during 1930s. 

The sources of water to Hamal Lake are from 

hill torrents and surface drains in the area. 

Hamal Lake covers an area of 26,000 acres 

during fl ood season and in very dry years it is 

virtually known to dry up. Various waterfowl 

species found here including Marbled Teal, Red 

Crested Pochard, Tachybaptus rufi collis, Anser 

anser, Ananus penelope, Anas creca, Anas acuta, 

Aythya ferina, Fulica atra, Anser strepera, Anas 

platyrhynchos, Anas clypeate, Anas fuligula. 

7. Manchar Lake 

Manchar is the biggest shallow water natural 

lake of Pakistan; situated in district Dadu. It 

is a vast natural depression fl anked by the 

Khirthar hills in the west, the Laki hills in the 

south and the River Indus in the east. Manchar 

Lake has been substantially supporting various 

economic activities. It provides livelihood to 

a large number of fi shermen, irrigation water 

for various crops and aquatic plants including

lotus. The common water birds found in 

Manchar Lake include Little Grebe, White 

Egret, Large Egret, Median Egret, Moorhen, 

Purple Moorhen, Purple Heron, Grey, Heron, 

Common Teal, Marbled Teal, White Stork, 

Darter, Goliath Heron, Pheasant–tailed Jacana, 

Common Rail, Common Stilts, Lapwing and 

Large cormorant. 

8. Chotiari Wetlands 

Chotiari reservoir lies on the western fl anks 

of Achro Thar desert (white sandy desert) in 

Sanghar district. The Reservoir occupies an 

area of about 18,000 hectares and has water 

storage capacity of 0.75 Million Acre Feet 

(MAF) fl ooding an area of approximately 160 

km 2 . Chotiari reservoir has been created in a 

natural depression that exists along the left 

bank of the Nara canal. The aquatic features of 

the reservoir area comprise small and large size 

freshwater and salty lakes which occupy about 

30% of the total reservoir area. These lakes are a 

source of subsistence and commercial fi sheries 

for the local people. The open wetlands and 

terrestrial areas are habitats for a variety of fi sh, 

mammals, birds and reptiles. Important wildlife 

of the area includes Hog deer, Chinkara, Jungle 

cat, Fishing cat, Caracal, Smooth coated otter, 

Marsh crocodiles, Python and a variety of birds 

including globally threatened Marbled Teal, 

breed here. In a survey in 1993, 40,000 birds 

were observed in the area. 


What is a wetland? 

What are the functions of a wetland? 

How is a wetland benefi cial for humans? 

What have you learnt about the major threats 

to wetlands? 

Can you please count the wetlands in Indus 

Ecoregion? 

Which wetlands have been discussed in our 

textbooks? 

Have you ever made a visit to a wetland? 

Please share your experiences. 

77

7 - Reading Forest of Indus Ecoregion 

An area of 1.126 million ha or eight percent of 

geographical area of Sindh province comes under 

the control of the Sindh Forest Department. The 

Riverine forests and irrigated plantations exist 

over 2.29 percent area, clearly indicating that 

the province is defi cient in forest resources. The 

remaining area under the control of the Sindh 

Forests Department consists of mangrove forestry 

and rangelands. 

1. Riverine Forest: 

Riverine forests owe their existence to the 

fl ooding of the River Indus and are the mainstay of 

forestry in Sindh. They are located along the River 

Indus within protective earthen embankments 

constructed to confi ne fl ood water. The main tree 

species grown are Babul (Acacia nilotica), Kandi 

(Prosopis cineraria) and Lai (Tamarix dioica). These 

forests are diminishing at a rapid pace due to 

deforestation, encroachments and river fl ooding. 

These forests provide timber, fuelwood, fodder 

for livestock grazing, medicinal plants and thatch 

material for house making. 

2. Mangrove Forest: 

The coastline of Pakistan is 1050 km long and 40-50 

km wide shared by the provinces of Sindh (350 km) 

and Balochistan (700 km). In the Sindh province, 

mangrove forests are found in the Indus Delta 

occupying approximately 600,000 ha extending 

from Korangi Creek in the north to Sir Creek in 

the South. Indus Delta comprises 17 major creeks, 

numerous minor creeks and extensive mudfl ats 

and constitutes 97% of all mangrove forests found 

in Pakistan. Mangroves of Indus Delta are unique 

in being the largest arid climate mangroves in 

the world. The survival of these forests is largely 

associated with perennial freshwater supplies from 

the River Indus, which fl ows through the delta 

78 

before reaching the Arabian Sea. 

Significance of Mangrove Forests 

Provide nursery for fi sh, shrimp and crabs. 

Protect coastline and sea ports from erosion 

and siltation. 

Act as a natural barrier to cyclones and 

tsunamis. 

Provide habitat and breeding ground for 

marine life and migratory birds. 

Meet fuelwood and fodder requirements of 

local communities. 

Serve as a source of education, research and 

recreation. 

3. Irrigated Plantations 

These are man-made forests raised on sanctioned 

irrigated water supplies from irrigation department. 

They were mainly established for the purpose of 

meeting industrial wood demands. An area of 

82,000 ha is presently under control of Sindh Forest 

Department for the purpose of raising irrigated 

plantations in the command areas of Guddu and 

Sukkur Barrages. The main tree species grown in 

irrigated plantations include: Shisham, Babul and 

Eucalyptus.

8 - Reading Pai Forest 

Pai forest is a small yet important forest in the 

vicinity of Sakrand (District Nawabshah of Sindh 

Province). It is located adjacent to National Highway 

and has a total area of 1933 hectares. Pai forest 

has recently turned into an inland forest, situated 

outside the river embankments and is facing acute 

shortage of water. The forest comprises several 

compartments. 

The forest has fi ve major species of plants viz: 

Prosopis cineraria (very common), Acacia nilotica 

(common), Eucalyptus camaldulensis (common on 

north and NE sides), Tamarix indica (common) and 

Tamarix aphylla (occasional). Overall the condition 

of the forest is miserable due to illegal cutting, 

poor management and over exploitation though 

at limited scale tree planting and management 

of important tree species is being done in some 

patches of the forest. From ecological point of 

view, the Pai forest, if given proper heed and consideration, 

can become a vital shelter for biodiversity. 

Forest plantations contribute to reducing deforestation 

and degradation of natural forest. 

Therefore, there is a mounting need for biodiversity 

studies in Pai forest as Pai can support a rich 

and varied fauna and serve to conserve wildlife 

as well. For the sustainable management of Pai 

forest, it is important to understand changes in 

key ecosystem processes such as decomposition 

and nutrient cycling that are encountered when 

natural forests are changed into other land uses or 

irrigated plantation. 

79

9 - Reading Natural Resources 

Natural Resources are naturally occurring 

substances that have economic value, such as: 

water, land (soil), forests, wildlife, animals, fi sheries, 

metals, etc. Natural resources are often classifi ed 

as renewable and non-renewable resources. 

Renewable resources are generally living resources 

which can restock themselves unless they are not 

over-harvested such as fi sh, forests, livestock etc. 

Non-renewable resources include soil and water. 

Natural Resources of Indus Ecoregion 

Water 

Water is life and a greatest natural resource for 

the agricultural and economic purposes. The main 

purpose of water is drinking and cleaning. It is also 

used for growing plants and crops. 

River Indus is a major source of water in Indus 

Ecoregion but its fl ow downstream has reduced 

due to construction of barrages on its way at 

several places. There generates several canals 

from River Indus for drinking purposes as well as 

irrigation of agricultural lands. 

At some of the places in Indus Ecoregion, water is 

scarce – unavailable even for the drinking purposes. 

Most of our lands are barren due to scarcity of 

water. 

Land or Soil 

We live on land and grow crops for food and 

livelihood. Pakistan is pre-dominantly an agricultural 

country and produces around 25% of the GDP. 

Nearly 21.5 million hectares of land is cultivated in 

Pakistan of which 25% of land of Sindh province 

is under cultivation. Most of the land in Sindh 

province is barren – uncultivated because of the 

non-availability of suffi cient water. 

80 

Fisheries 

Fishing is the main livelihood resource of the 

community. Besides, providing valuable revenues 

to the country, fi shing is the primary source of 

livelihood of the population. There has been 

reduction in fi shing in recent years in Pakistan. 

One of the reasons is the unsustainable practices. 

Livestock 

Livestock are domesticated animals reared in the 

agricultural setting and raised for subsistence and 

profi t. Livestock includes: cows, goats, buffaloes, 

sheep and camels. In rural part of Pakistan, this is 

the old tradition that these animals are domesticated. 

Livestock is the source of milk, meat, 

butter, cheese, etc. Thus, it is the major source in 

the irrigated, arid, semi-arid and rain fed areas in 

Pakistan. 

Forest 

Forest is the natural home of biodiversity. It 

provides food and shelter to many animals and is 

a big source of timber. In Pakistan only about 5% 

of the land is covered with forests, which indeed 

is a low percentage. The major reason of lack of 

forests is variations in climate and arid conditions. 

Riverine forests are mainly found in Sindh 

province. Irrigated plantations are spread over 

82,310 hectares. Besides, the mangrove forests 

are also found in the Indus Delta which covers 

80000 hectares. Mangrove is the nursery ground 

of shrimps and many species of fi shes and birds. 

Wildlife 

Animals: mammals, birds, and reptiles living in the 

wild have also been a great source of attraction 

for humans. These animals are the main source of 

income, hunting etc. The natural habitat of wildlife 

in Sindh province includes: coastline, mangrove,

iverine and irrigated forests, the Indus plains and 

the fresh water wetlands. 

The wildlife of Sindh includes species like Sindh 

Wild goat, Chinkara, Hog deer, Jackal, Wolf, 

Partridges, etc. The wetlands such as Keenjhar 

Lake, Haleji Lake, Manchar Lake, etc. provide a 

wintering ground for migratory and other birds. 

The wildlife of Sindh province, particularly of the 

Indus Ecoregion, has been declined during the 

last few decades as a result of loss of habitats and 

increased human interventions. 

81

10 - Reading Pollution 

What is Pollution? 

Human beings depend on environment both 

directly and indirectly. They need food to eat, 

water to drink and meet other requirements, air 

to breath and fuel to fulfi ll energy requirements at 

domestic and industrial level. Human activities in 

this industrial era generate basic wastes by burning 

coal, gas, oil and other fuels, besides a variety of 

solid wastes that generate through human activities. 

All these wastes adversely affect the quality of 

environment in which we live. 

Pollution is derived from the Latin word polluere, 

mean “contamination of any feature of the 

environment.” Pollution has the following characteristic: 

1. It is the addition of substances at a faster rate 

than the environment can accommodate e.g., 

certain substances like arsenic or mercury 

have natural level. If these levels exceed a 

certain critical value they are considered to be 

pollutants. 

2. Pollutants are not only chemicals but also forms 

of energy like heat, sound (noise pollution) and 

radioactive rays. 

3. Pollution can also be defi ned as undesirable 

change in the physical, chemical or biological 

characteristics of land, air and water that 

will harmfully affect humans and other living 

organisms. 

Types of Pollution: 

Traditionally, air, water and land pollution are the 

most recognized categories of pollution. 

1. Air Pollution. 

Air pollution has existed since humans fi rst used 

fi re. However, the problem has become signifi cant 

since the industrial revolution in the 19 th century. 

82 

Almost all air pollutants are the result of burning 

fossil, fuels, either in home, in industry or in internal 

combustion engines. Air pollution is much more 

common in cities than in the countryside. 

Air pollutants are source of many health risks such 

as, respiratory diseases, cancers, irritation of eyes, 

nose throat and lungs. Many other dangerous 

gases and chemicals like mercury, zinc and lead 

may cause chronic diseases and damage to humans 

and the environment. 

2. Water Pollution: 

Water is one of the most important sources of 

life. Where there is water, there is life. Without 

water life cannot exist. Water occupies about 75% 

of the land surface. Less than 3% of the earth’s 

total water is fresh. Out of the total freshwater 

available, 75% is used for agricultural purpose, 20% 

for industrial use and only 5% is used for domestic 

purposes. 

Industrial waste largely bring water pollution. 

Municipal and agricultural wastes are two other 

major sources. Domestic sewage of cities and 

towns ultimately enters into streams, river, lakes 

and fi nally into seas and oceans. Due to these 

pollutions, concentration of ammonia, nitrates 

and phosphates increases and that of oxygen 

decreases in water, thereby adversely affecting 

living organisms in water. Water pollution is also a 

source of many waste-borne diseases. 

3. Soil pollution: 

Soil plays a very important role in the ecosystem. 

Plants need soil to grow. The top layer of soil is 

the most important for the growth of plants. Soil 

also holds water needed for the growth of plants. 

Pollution of our land and water bodies by different

kinds of wastes in the form of chemicals, detergents, 

solid waste from home, factories and industries not 

only give an ugly look to our environment, but also 

damage the habitats. More than 90 % of pesticides 

applied never reach their target, i.e. pests. Instead 

these chemicals contaminate air, water and soil. 

4. Noise pollution: 

Noise is an unwanted sound. As the world 

population is growing, the automobiles and industry 

are also expanding. More and more people are 

buying cars everyday, thus increasing the volume 

of traffi c, especially in the urban areas. You must 

have seen signs such as “no horns or” “do not 

blow horns near hospitals and schools.” 

The primary sources of noise are industries, 

factories, machines, TV, radio, vehicles and 

aeroplanes. Noise reduces our hearing capacity 

and causes mental distress, ulcers, heart diseases, 

high blood pressure and nervousness. 

11 - Reading 

A Poem on Pollution 

Reference: English Book 4, page number 80 

Pollution, pollution where do you come from? 

Pollution, pollution how do you grow? 

I come from the noises, that you make, 

And from the litter, you throw in the lake. 

Smoke from factories, make me strong, 

Trees that you cut down, make me live long. 

Every careless human gives me birth. 

My friends are enemies of earth. 

So if man, continues this way, 

He will surely help me to stay. 

Mahira Akbani 

12 - Reading 

Climate 

Climate 

Climate encompasses the temperatures, humidity, 

rainfall, atmospheric particle count and numerous 

other meteorological factors of weather in a given 

region over long periods of time. Climate can be 

classifi ed by using parameters such as: temperature 

and rainfall to defi ne specifi c climate types. 

Atmosphere is a cover over the earth. It is a thin 

layer of mixed gases which makes up the air we 

breathe. This thin layer also helps the earth in 

becoming too hot or too cold. 

Oceans cover about 70% of the Earth’s surface. 

Their large size and thermal properties allow them 

to store a lot of heat. 

Land covers 27% of the Earth’s surface, where 

humans and other animals live. 

Ice covers 3% of the Earth’s surface which includes 

Antarctica and Greenland and is the largest source 

of supply of fresh water resource. 

Biosphere is the part of Earth’s atmosphere, land 

and oceans that supports any living plant, animal or 

organism. It is the place where plants and animals 

including humans live. 

Global Warming 

Global warming refers to an average increase in 

Earth’s atmosphere, which in turn causes changes 

in climate. A warmer Earth may lead to changes in 

rainfall patterns, a rise in sea level, and a wide range 

of impacts on plants, wildlife and humans. When 

scientists talk about the issue of climate change, their 

concern is about global warming caused by human 

activities. There are both natural and human factors 

that cause the global warming which are as follows: 

83

A. Natural Factors: 

Changes in solar output (the amount of energy 

radiating from the sun is not constant). 

Changes in the Earth’s orbit (slow variations in 

the Earth’s orbit around the sun change where 

and when energy is received by earth. This 

affects the amount of energy that is refl ected 

and absorbed). 

The Greenhouse Effect (when the energy 

from space enters the Earth’s atmosphere, 

about a third of it is refl ected back to space. 

Of the rest, the atmosphere absorbs some 

but most of it is absorbed by the surfaces of 

the earth. The Earth emits energy at longer 

wavelength. Some of this energy escapes to 

space but some is absorbed again and remitted 

by clouds and the greenhouse gases such as 

water vapours, carbon dioxide, methane and 

nitrous oxide. This helps to warm the surface 

and the atmosphere. 

Aerosols (These are fi ne particles and droplets 

that are small enough to remain suspended in 

the atmosphere for considerable periods of 

time. They both refl ect and absorb incoming 

solar radiation. Changing the quantity and 

type of aerosols in the atmosphere affects 

the amount of solar energy refl ected or 

absorbed). 

B. Human Factors: 

Enhancing the Greenhouse Effect (Scientifi c 

studies suggest that a variety of human activities 

release greenhouse gases, which include: 

burning of fossil fuels for producing electricity, 

heating and transportation.) 

Land use change (As humans replace forests 

with agricultural lands, or natural vegetation 

with concrete; they substantially alter the way 

the Earth’s surface refl ects sunlight and releases 

heat. All these changes also affect evaporation, 

runoff and rainfall patterns. Land use and the 

84 

changes in the way it is used affect the global 

carbon cycle, reduce the world’s forests and 

woodlands, expand the cropped land area, and 

cause the tropical deforestation). 

Atmospheric Aerosols (Humans are adding 

large quantities of fi ne particles (aerosols) 

both from agricultural and industrial activities.) 

Although, most of these aerosols are soon 

removed by gravity and rainfall, they affect the 

radiation balance in the atmosphere). 

Burning of fossil fuels for energy. 

Ozone and Ozone Layer 

Ozone is a natural gas found in two different layers 

of the atmosphere. In the layer around the Earth’s 

surface (troposphere), an oxide of carbon dirties 

the air and makes smog. The troposphere extends 

up to the stratosphere layer where good ozone 

protects life on earth by absorbing some of the 

sun’s ultraviolet rays. 

Ozone layer forms a thin layer shield high up in 

the sky. It protects life on earth from the sun’s 

ultraviolet rays. In 1980, scientists found clues 

that ozone layer is being depleted. This can 

cause people to get highly exposed to ultraviolet 

radiation which can cause skin cancer, eye damage, 

and other diseases.

13 - Reading Nature Club 

What is a Nature Club? 

A Nature Club is the friendly association of school 

head teacher, teachers and students and possibly 

the outside community having common goal, 

objectives, and activities to save nature and make 

this as the part and parcel of school curricula and 

culture. Through the Nature Club, students learn 

about the signifi cance of natural resources and 

environment. 

A Nature Club may include activities like: 

Everyday school cleanliness 

Collecting waste for development of 

resources 

Conducting Environmental Exhibitions 

Tree Plantation and beautifi cation in school 

Nature tour/walk 

Quiz competitions 

Writing competition 

Watching documentaries 

Taking part in indoor and outdoor sports 

Conducting simple environmental research 

Lecturing on environmental education/Issues 

by a seasoned expert /teacher 

Mentoring junior teachers 

Conducting mass awareness campaigns 

What are the objectives of a Nature 

Club? 

The establishment of a Nature Club in the school 

and its further development could ensure the 

benefi ts such as: 

Well educated and literate school 

community. 

Learning of variety of skills including planning, 

decision making, resources development, 

monitoring and evaluation, leadership, art and 

exhibition, poetry and prose, etc. 

Developing positive attitudes such as: 

Creating of a healthy environment. 

Creating friendly, cooperative, collegial and 

empathetic environment to accomplish 

tasks which are not possible for an individual 

person. 

Creating interest, enthusiasm, discipline, 

commitment in all ranks. 

What are the activities of a Nature 

Club? 

There could be several activities that might be 

performed by a Nature Club. These activities may 

be categorised as: 

Motivation/awareness activities, for instance 

lecturing by an expert, watching documentaries, 

mentoring juniors, etc. 

Health and hygiene activities for example: 

keeping fi rst aid box, cleaning school, removing 

dust and garbage, etc. 

Development/improvement activities for 

example: tree plantation, keeping a recycle 

bin, placing a notice board for displaying 

active persons’ photos, developing teaching 

resources, setting a library etc. 

Research/enquiry activities for example: 

observing environment, interviewing people, 

reading literature, taking notes etc. 

Art/crafts activities for example: making 

drawings, posters, charts, sceneries, models, 

pottery, performing dramas, poetry, developing 

portfolios etc. 

Outdoor activities for example: nature walks, 

tours, visits etc. 

Sports activities for example: playing cricket, 

hockey, volleyball, table tense, badminton, 

etc. 

Find on the next page, the activities which could 

be considered as model activities. Teachers 

85

and students together may devise several other 

activities which could be the part of a Nature Club. 

This may be kept in mind that fewer resources 

may be consumed to have the optimal benefi ts. 

How to organize a Nature Club in the 

school? 

Below are the Tips that may support in organising 

a Nature Club in the school: 

Motivate the school head teacher and other 

teachers through sharing benefi ts of a Nature 

Club for the whole school. 

Under the leadership of school head, select 

a group of teachers and students who take 

responsibility of organising this Club. 

This group would sit and devise the 

methodology of how to do all the things. 

Talking to all the teachers and students through 

class lecturing, demonstration, fi eld exposures, 

watching documentaries, etc. 

Making sub groups of the teachers and students 

and assigning them the tasks according to their 

interests. 

Devising procedures of doing things. 

Starting the activities. 

Monitoring the activities to create proper 

check and balance. 

86 

How to sustain a Nature Club in the 

school? 

The sustainability of Nature Clubs may only be 

ensured by strictly: 

Maintaining discipline, cooperation, coordination 

in all levels. 

Doing activities on continuous basis as part of 

the curriculum. 

Monitoring and evaluating on regular basis for 

proper check and balance. 

Collecting a membership fee at regular basis.

14 - Reading 

Training is one of the most frequently practiced 

models of professional development for the 

teachers in the world. The mode of training 

provides opportunity to learn and practice several 

ideas under the mentorship of a senior resource 

person (s). A reasonable number of participants 

attend the training program and learn in collaborative 

and collegial way. They work both as individual 

and in a collective way to accomplish several types 

of tasks depending upon what is being learnt in 

the training. 

There are three major grounds of training of 

school teachers on environmental education. First, 

knowledge building in a subject to which, as humans, 

we are very much concerned and contrary to this, 

we have given less priority to learning of this subject. 

Second, the environmental themes are available 

in the textbooks but teachers do not teach them 

with the intention of learning about environment. 

Third, though teachers teach these concepts, their 

way of teaching is simply based on rote memorisation 

of concepts and do not tend to be creative, 

innovative and practical. The training of school 

teachers in environmental education bridges all 

the three gaps. It provides sound understanding 

of environmental themes along with exposure to 

the innovative ways of teaching, assessment and 

evaluation. The associated feature that makes the 

environmental education training distinguished 

from other subject trainings is the fi eldwork. In the 

fi eldwork, a teacher is provided an opportunity of 

fi eld trips, which are highly focused to help them 

gain direct knowledge of various segments of 

environment. 

Training provides a rich opportunity to learn and 

practice a variety of teaching learning methods 

such as lecture, demonstration, project, inquiry, 

Training School Teachers in 


refl ective method etc. These methods also 

include a variety of teaching learning techniques 

like: conducting interview, conversation/dialogue, 

story telling and reading, debate and discussion, 

written and verbal refl ections, fi eld visits etc. Most 

of these methods and techniques develop four 

major approaches within the teaching professionals 

called: constructivist approach, inquiry approach, 

participatory approach and refl ective approach. 

Teachers get accustomed to these approaches 

during the training workshops and later on apply 

the same approaches on students at school level. 

Questions for Discussion 

1. Why is training the most frequently practiced 

mode of professional development in the 

world? 

2. Why is training of school teachers in environmental 

education important? 

3. Please write the possible teaching learning 

techniques that can be used while teaching 

environmental education. 

87

15 - Reading 

In a training programme, a trainer’s role is multidimensional 

beginning from planning to implementation, 

evaluation and follow up. Following are the 

steps of a training programme that a good trainer 

needs to follow: 

i. Planning of sessions 

Planning of sessions is the foremost task, on which 

the entire learning is based. A good planning 

requires: understanding what to teach and what to 

produce, deciding how to teach, gauging the level 

of learners, assessing what resources are available, 

analysing how much time to be allocated etc. 

The careful decisions regarding all these ensures 

good planning which leads to effective implementation. 

In the planning process, it is necessary 

that the objectives, timeframe, activities, content 

knowledge and resources selection should be 

clearly highlighted. 

ii. Preparation according to planning 

After planning, the second most important thing 

to keep into consideration is preparation. The 

preparation covers: review of literature or content 

knowledge, selection of content knowledge 

according to the need and level of learners, 

adoption of the teaching–learning strategy, which 

suits the content knowledge. One thing that must 

be kept in mind is that teachers should be given 

the knowledge of variety of teaching learning 

methods and techniques so that they are able to 

understand the diversity of topics and make the 

teaching–learning more creative and innovative. 

The preparation also involves arrangement of 

teaching resources such as worksheets, charts, 

drawings, etc. In this respect, the no cost- low cost 

idea is effective in arranging resources that also 

leads to conservation of resources and reduces 

the levels of pollution. 

88 

Steps of a Training Programme 

iii. Facilitation 

The facilitation is meant for creating congenial 

(friendly) learning environment where master 

trainers’ role is to support or guide in terms of using 

simple language, providing clarifi cations, supporting 

ideas with the appropriate examples, eliciting 

response from learners, providing freedom of 

expression, creating gender equity, making groups 

of mixed levels of learners, making resources, 

encouraging creativity etc. Clear instructions must 

be the part and parcel of facilitation. The vague 

instructions or no instructions make implementation 

ineffective. 

iv. Assessment 

Assessment is an effective way to fi nd out what 

learners have learnt as a result of teaching. There 

are a variety of assessment strategies other than 

paper pencil text, which has turned obsolete. 

Application of assessment strategies promotes 

creativity. A good master trainer should be 

well-aware of the framework of each strategy, 

what each assessment strategy measures, how 

learners can be involved in each strategy etc. 

v. Feedback 

A good master trainer should pay maximum 

attention to improving the learning process 

and the outcome. Feedback is the strategy that 

requires assessing the gaps in the learning. These 

gaps include: no undefi ned objectives, ambiguity 

in concepts, incompatibility between the content 

knowledge and the teaching learning strategy, poor 

assessment which does not achieve objectives, etc. 

A good feedback includes: clarifi cations, exemplifi - 

cation, refl ections etc.

vi. Time management 

This is the most important aspect of planning and 

implementation. A good master trainer should be 

careful of the availability of the time, its activitywise 

distribution, its proper utilisation etc. The 

monitoring of time management is necessary 

during the implementation of a programme or a 

session. 

vii. Appreciation 

Appreciation encourages learners. As a result of 

appreciation, learners get freedom to think from 

various perspectives, refl ect on what they have 

done, develop strategies etc. 

viii. Debriefing and concluding 

learning 

This provides opportunity to discuss in detail what 

has been done, how it was done, what are the 

alternate ways, what is the overall level of learning, 

what are the implications of that learning in real 

life etc. 

16 - Reading 

Conversation/Dialogue 

Conversation is an informal dialogue about 

anything. People who get involved in conversation 

are not restricted to remain within one topic. They 

can focus on several topics in their conversation. 

For example, it is usual that persons at the same 

time talk about current affairs, economic issues of 

our country, children’s education, etc. There are 

several purposes of conversation, which include: 

personal expression, to fi nd out information, 

and to compare views with others. It serves to 

share experiences, informing somebody about 

something and solving problems etc. 

The conversation in classroom has several merits, 

which include: improving listening and speaking 

skills, building confi dence among students, being 

critical and refl ective in their talk etc. An environmental 

education teacher may frequently involve 

students in conversation process to talk about a 

concept or issue related to the environment with 

the objective to facilitate the students develop 

their own understanding rather depending on the 

ready made information given to them for reading 

purpose. The teachers should plan their daily 

schedules to involve students in the conversation 

on a variety of topics on daily basis so that students 

develop interpersonal skills as well as broaden 

the horizon of their knowledge. Teacher should 

provide students a good degree of freedom to 

choose the topics of their choice. This will help 

students to be independent in their decision 

making which ultimately leads to development of 

their confi dence. A teacher can allow students to 

make conversation in pairs and groups depending 

on whatever the setting suits. A teacher should 

ask students to use their mother tongue or local 

language as a tool of conversation. This would 

make students quite comfortable in oral communication. 

The framework of conversation is based on taking 

turns. There is a logical connectivity within conversation. 

When one person talks about something, 

the other person carefully listens. The second 

person responds when the fi rst person concludes 

his talk. This process continues till the conversation 

ends. The conclusion reaches when the 

persons participating in conversation reach at a 

point of view or solve a problem or leave the 

talk incomplete with the intention to continue 

it further. Please refer Unit 3: “Protecting Myself 

Against Pollution” page number 16 of Everyday 

English Class 7 as the example of how students 

and the teacher could involve in conversation 

about environmental issues/problems. 

89

Conversation between Jehangir and Doctor 

Reference: English Textbook for Class VII, page 16 

Jehangir: Assalam – o – Alaikum Doctor sahib. 

Doctor: Walaikum – us – Salam. Please sit down. 

Jehangir: Thank you Doctor sahib. 

Doctor: What’s the problem? 

Jehangir: I have a bad throat and body ache. 

Doctor: Let me examine you. You must be feeling a lot of pain in your throat. 

Jehangir: I do take care of my throat but my throat problem continues. 

Doctor: Actually, the air that we breathe in becomes dirty by things like smoke and dust. It is the dirty 

air, which affects your throat. 

Jehangir: Oh, I see. So my throat problem is linked with dust and smoke. 

Doctor: Exactly! Thick smoke from mills and vehicles pollutes the air. 

Jehangir: Ok. Then, how can I protect myself against this? 

Doctor: Well, to begin with, you should cover your nose and mouth with mask or a piece of cloth 

when the smoke is very thick. 

Jehangir: All right Doctor sahib. 

90

17 - Reading 

The discussion is also an important technique 

that teachers use in a constructivist and analytical 

classroom. This mode of learning promotes 

opinion making skills, arguments and counter 

arguments skills, questioning skills, and explanation 

and evaluation skills. Discussion assists students 

in the development of reasoning, critical thinking, 

and problem-solving skills. It gives them practice in 

expressing ideas orally in an organised manner and 

enables them to reach at conclusions, clarify or 

modify ideas, resolve differences and fi nd alternative 

solutions. There are varieties of discussion that can 

be implemented in the teaching–learning of environmental 

education. These may include: teacher 

–led discussion, group discussion, etc. 

1) Teacher-led discussion 

The teacher-led discussion is done, where the 

teacher’s role is as an initiator (one who initiates 

discussion) and moderator (one who monitors 

discussion, switches over to the next person for 

sharing or creates equity or balance between 

those who are involved in the discussion). In other 

words, the teacher’s role in the discussion is of a 

facilitator. This discussion is done infront of the 

whole class. 

Tips for Teacher-led discussion 

A resource person would: 

Select a topic for discussion according to the 

requirements of the session. 

Assess the scope and signifi cance of the theme 

to be brought under discussion. 

Initiate the discussion by sharing a small critical 

incident or personal experience or observation, 

a case study, etc. 

Place a question, which should help in initiating 

the discussion. 

Provide maximum chance to learners to speak. 

Discussion 

Make counter questions to further unpack 

knowledge/theme under discussion. 

Moderate the discussion in a way that no 

irrelevant topics are discussed and all should 

get a good chance of sharing. At least keep 

those into consideration who speak less or are 

passive in communication. 

Always try to connect ideas with the main 

theme by sharing participants’ comments. 

Take care of time during the discussion. 

Write the main points of discussion on the 

white/blackboard in order to facilitate the 

course participants to record the points. 

Conclude the discussion in a way that it would 

derive some solution to a problem, or make 

addition to information or knowledge. 

2) Group Discussion 

The group discussion is held in a group setting. This 

discussion is led by one of the group members 

chosen in a consensus within a group. Prior to 

initiating the discussion, the roles of the group 

members are decided. The major roles of the 

group are: 

1. Group leader/moderator 

2. Note taker/writer 

3. Time keeper 

4. Presenter 

All these members work collectively in a group. It 

is the responsibility of the group leader to involve 

members actively. Teacher/resource person 

divides the whole class into the groups of 4 to 

5 members (depending on size of the class) for 

group discussion. There is a joint responsibility of 

the teacher/resource person and the group leader 

to tackle the discussion. The teacher/resource 

person moderates the whole class, whereas the 

same responsibility lies over the group leader 

91

at the group level. Apart from these two, all 

members have their joint responsibility as well as 

the individual responsibility. 

Tips for Group discussion 

The teacher/resource person would select the 

topic(s) for each group. Sometimes, a teacher 

gives one topic to all groups and sometimes, 

different topics to different groups. 

Each group would distribute the roles and 

choose the group leader. 

Each group would initiate the discussion. 

Group Leader would initiate the discussion 

by sharing a small critical incident or personal 

experience or observation, a case study, etc. 

He/she may place a question, which should 

help in initiating the discussion. 

All group members should speak. The passive 

members must be encouraged to speak. 

Each member should make cross questions 

to further unpack knowledge/theme under 

discussion. 

The group leader would moderate the 

discussion in a way that no irrelevant topics 

may come under discussion and all should get 

a good chance of ideas. Always try to connect 

the sharing with the main theme by sharing 

participants’ comments. 

Take care of the time during the discussion. 

The whole group would conclude the 

discussion in a way that it would derive some 

solution to a problem, or make addition to 

information or knowledge. 

Develop a presentation of the discussion on a 

sheet, use a transparency, or make a computer/ 

multimedia presentation (depending on the 

availability of the resources). 

Other groups, while listening to a presentation, 

would record any questions or comments, 

which later on are asked in the debriefi ng 

session. 

92 

If the presentation is on a big sheet, display the 

sheet in a corner of the training hall/room as a 

record. 

A resource person would keep in mind that a 

group should not be formed of the same members 

repeatedly but each time the trainees would have 

opportunity to work with different members of the 

group. Second important thing that needs to be 

taken care is to create a balanced group. It would 

also be ensured that groups would be formed of 

the active as well as passive members together. 

All slow learning members may be brought under 

work through the continuous motivation.

18 - Reading 

A debate is a discussion in favour or against a topic 

in which speakers put forward their view point in 

support of their arguments. Usually, debate occurs 

between two parties on a topic that is arguable, 

where there is disagreement on one side and 

the agreement on the other side. Both parties 

defend each other’s point of view by providing the 

arguments, asking questions, adding precedents or 

proofs, etc. The debate provides opportunity to 

explore, listen to other’s point of view, refl ect and 

enjoy the process of learning. Debate has some 

advantages, which are as follows: 

Debating refl ects the learning process. Debate 

establishes extremes, allowing the viewers and 

participants to see the areas in between more 

clearly. 

Debating allows students to explore ideas and 

arguments in a non-threatening atmosphere, 

because presentational guidelines are 

provided. 

Debating is an effective method of acquiring 

knowledge, as arguments need to be 

supported by relevant, accurate, and complete 

information. 

Students, who debate informally, learn to 

recognise the elements of a good argument 

and to develop further their abilities to speak 

confi dently. 

A debate should not be a time killing activity 

but a productive one. It should serve as a device 

for solving problems, to settle a controversy, to 

enhance knowledge etc. 

Tips for involving students in Debate: 

Before involving students into the debate, a 

teacher/resource person should fi nd out the 

areas /issues that are debatable. 

A teacher/resource person should show some 

videos (if possible) regarding the debate. This 

Debate as a Teaching Strategy 

will give the students a good idea of how 

to start a debate. Also provide one or two 

readings about debate as learning strategy. 

Before involving students into debate, educate 

students how to argue, how to question, how 

to produce evidence in debate. 

A teacher/resource person should present the 

students an issue for debate. 

According to the interest, divide the students 

into two groups: one that is favoring the topic 

and the other that is against. It may also be 

possible that 50% of the whole class is involved 

in the debate and the rest of the class simply 

observes. 

Before starting the debate, a teacher/resource 

person would provide suffi cient time to 

students for preparation. 

A teacher/resource person must ensure 

preparation of students for debate. 

Develop a set of ground rules that both the 

groups of students should strictly follow. 

Before starting the debate, ask students 

to prepare a list of arguments that should 

support in the process of debate. It is possible 

that counter arguments or questions may arise 

during the process of debate. 

The students, while debating, must carefully 

listen to the point of view of the opposite 

group and defend themselves. 

A teacher/resource person should work as a 

mediator – serve as neutral. 

A teacher/resource person must set the time 

for debate. 

Finally, the teacher/resource person would 

conclude the debate as to what has been 

derived as a result of the debate. 

93

19 - Reading 

In the era of electronic and print media, interview 

is a very common practice and almost every 

person is aware of this way of conversation. In 

this context, the purpose is to introduce someone 

with the public or offer a talk about any issue 

with somebody. The interview tool is also used in 

research or data collection process. This interview 

helps in exploring the respondents to have data 

required for either solving a problem or making 

addition in the knowledge. This type of interview 

is both structured and semi-structured. 

In the context of education, the use of interview 

as a technique for teaching and learning has good 

number of benefi ts. It helps in: 

Introducing someone. 

Developing confi dence in making verbal communication. 

Developing listening and speaking skills. 

Enhancing knowledge of learners. 

Exploring or investigating the knowledge about 

an issue or problem or personality traits. 

The use of interview as a strategy in environmental 

education could be an option of exploring or 

inquiring about a situation or issue. Environmental 

education opens the avenues for learners to interact 

with each other, civil society members, educators, 

administrators etc. regarding the discovery of new 

facts or information about environment. A teacher 

may provide maximum support to the students in 

planning and conducting an interview fi rst inside the 

school and later outside the school. This could be 

making visits to bazaar, shopping markets, offi ces, 

villages, settlements nearby agricultural fi elds etc. 

This upgraded nature of interview should be 

implemented when students reach at the higher 

level, such as: the classes IX and X. It must be kept 

in mind that students should plan for conducting 

94 

Interview as a Teaching Strategy 

interview along with the teacher/resource person. 

A teacher/resource person should take students 

of small groups to the interview sites. 

In conducting an interview, the interviewer 

requires an interview guide. This interview 

guide is made of questions almost set upon as 

open-ended structure. The open-ended questions 

based interview guide is designed in a way that it 

helps the interviewer to mould the talk to a new 

direction. In other words, the interview guide is 

quite fl exible. The interviewer may include a new 

question during the process of the interview. 

Interview should have a defi nite purpose. In this 

regard, a teacher may facilitate students in planning 

the interview and devising the interview guide. 

During the planning phase, it is very important to 

determine the purpose of interview, interviewee, 

the questions etc. For example, interviewing a 

wildlife offi cer regarding the excessive hunting of 

birds at Keenjhar Lake will serve the purpose. This 

would include a number of critical questions that 

will explore the reasons why hunting of birds takes 

place and what are the steps the management 

should take to prevent it. 

A teacher/resource person would facilitate the 

students in thinking about several topics/issues 

on which the interviews could be conducted. A 

teacher/resource person may enrich the existing 

knowledge of textbooks by adding the new 

information acquired through interviews. 

Tips for involving Students in 

Interview: 

While planning the interview, think of a defi nite 

purpose of the interview and describe it in 

easy language.

Determine the target group, place of interview, 

time of interview, interview guide etc. 

Develop an interview guide. 

Contact the interviewee for appointment. First 

introduce yourself and then share the purpose 

and make a request for the interview, also ask 

about the time and place for the interview. 

Reach 10-15 minutes earlier than the scheduled 

time. 

When you meet, greet the interviewee by 

Sample Interview Guide 

Main theme: Interviewing regarding the excessive hunting of birds at Keenjhar Lake. 

Interviewee: A wildlife offi cer. 

Place of Interview: Wildlife offi ce, Keenjhar Lake. 

Date: ________________________ 

Time: _______________________ 

Questions: 

1. For how long have you been serving as a wildlife offi cer? 

2. What type of issues do you fi nd at Keenjhar Lake regarding the wildlife? 

3. A newspaper survey report published in the Daily ‘X’ says that the number of birds at Keenjhar Lake are 

being decreased year by year? Is it right? 

4. From where do these birds come? 

5. What might be the reasons for decrease in number of those birds? 

6. Do you think that local people are involved in bird hunting? 

7. What strategies the Wildlife Department has adopted to reduce bird hunting? 

Note: more questions can be added within this Interview Guide. 

saying Assalamalaikum, good morning, good 

evening etc. 

Be soft in tone while interviewing. 

Use the interview guide but be fl exible in 

adding new questions. 

Use a tape recorder to record the interview so 

that later you could transcribe the interview. 

Ask questions from several dimensions so that 

you could have rich information. 

95

20 - Reading 

Picture description is an interesting strategy in 

terms of its uniqueness in facilitating the learners 

use their inner potentials in describing a picture. 

A picture could be a human portrait, scenery or 

a landscape, abstract art, geometrical shapes etc. 

A picture could be a drawing or a real photo. It 

conveys a certain message to viewer. A viewer 

makes a quick analysis of a picture and shares what 

the picture tells. 

Picture description is used as a useful strategy in 

the teaching–learning process. It enables learners 

to develop thinking skills, drawing skills, language 

or communication skills, aesthetic sense etc. A 

teacher may use picture description frequently 

depending on the kind of session or tutorial. A 

teacher may give the activity of picture description 

on pair basis, group basis and individual basis, again 

depending upon what the session demands. All 

three ways can make interesting output on the 

part of students. 

In environmental education class, picture 

description could be an interesting experience 

for all learners. Environmental education is full of 

pictures relating to the landscapes, for example 

photos of lakes, rivers, streams, birds, plants, 

trees, etc.; critical incident photos, for example 

the garbage lying in the street and children playing 

there. In another picture, children are attending 

96 

Picture Description as a 

Teaching-Learning Strategy 

clinic to have a treatment of a viral disease. The 

students can easily read pictures because it is 

almost in their observation and experiences. A 

teacher may only facilitate learners in providing 

pictures and giving clear instructions. 

Tips for Picture Description 

Select a picture that should put learners into 

in-depth thinking. 

Provide suffi cient time to learners to look at 

the picture, think about it and have discussion, 

if the work is pair based or group based. 

Provide a set of questions in order to facilitate 

the learners to think. Please see a set of 

questions at Appendix –F. 

While working in groups, teacher/resource 

person would move around in order to 

facilitate the learners in their work. 

Referring to the questions, learners would 

respond. 

Each of the group would have a chance to 

describe the picture before the whole class. 

This depends on the teacher/resource person 

to involve the students in verbal communication 

or written communication. 

Use bullet points for the description. 

Time management should be given priority. 

Example of picture description is on the next 

page.

Example of Picture Description 

Isolated Mangrove Tree 

The things that are visible in this picture are: Creek, mangrove tree, boat, blue sky, land, and clouds. This 

is a beautiful landscape of Indus River Delta. Once this was a thick natural forest of mangroves. Unfortunately, 

due to excessive deforestation, Sindh is loosing its valuable natural resources. 

This picture helps me recall the days of my past when I used to live in a village called ‘Pat Sharif’ (located 

at the right bank of River Indus in District Dadu, Sindh) and study in high school. Along with my cousins, 

I visited the land of Kucha three times. There were green fi elds and thick trees along the River Indus. 

There were riverine forests. 

The message that is being communicated from this picture is that we should conserve our natural 

resources. We are the custodians to transfer them to the next generations. 

A teacher/resource person can use this picture in understanding about the Indus River Delta and the 

mangrove forests. 

Supportive Questions 

1. Picture Title……………………………. 

2. What do you see in the picture? 

3. Can you relate this picture with any incident 

that you have experienced or observed? How 

will you describe? 

4. In your opinion, what message is being communicated 

to the viewer through this picture? 

5. What implications of this picture do you see in 

your learning process? 

Note: These are some of the supportive questions. 

A teacher/resource person or participants may 

ask other questions according to the nature or 

requirements of the picture that they use. 

97

21 - Reading 

Story telling and story reading is a usual feature 

of everyone’s childhood. Grand mothers, grand 

fathers, mothers, elder sisters are the sources 

of telling stories. The culture of telling stories 

transforms from generations to generations. May it 

be a cold night of winter and sleeping in a blanket 

or lovely breeze of spring and walking along the 

path in a village or sitting under tree and enjoying 

summer or sitting in a garden and seeing falling 

leaves in autumn, the experience of listening to 

stories in these modes provide a typical charm to 

listeners. All children enjoy listening to stories. The 

reason is that they get engrossed into the story 

in-depth and explore the treasure of ideas. They 

put themselves in the framework of characters. 

It is observed that male children become heroes 

and kings with Herculean features and the female 

children become queens with beauty and charm. 

The experience of listening to stories is also 

practiced in schools where the teacher reads the 

stories. The stories are usually available in the 

language (Sindhi, Urdu and English) textbooks. 

The experience of listening to stories through 

the teacher’s reading remains similar as that of 

childhood experience. 

Story telling or reading could be an interesting 

strategy in the environmental education classroom. 

These types of stories are usually full of adventure. 

In these stories, children make a group and take a 

big task to rescue life from danger or extinction. The 

thinking of forests, animals, friendship, search for 

food, cold night, river fl ow, catching fi sh, escaping 

from danger are the most frequent features of 

these stories. Those children who prefer outdoor 

activities, enjoy these stories. 

98 

Telling and Reading Stories 

Tips for Telling or Reading Stories 

Select a story that helps learners get motivated 

towards the understanding of their environment 

and the related issues. For example, the story 

about pollution, deforestation, hunting, etc. 

Select lesson-oriented stories. 

While telling or reading stories, use body 

language and gestures so that learners could 

enjoy the experience. 

Use easy language. 

After fi nishing the telling or reading stories, ask 

learners what they have learnt.

22 - Reading 

Children like to perform role-plays and drama 

in their extra curricular activities. A small ratio 

of schools involves learners into role-plays 

and dramas in their routine teaching–learning 

activities. Children have strong tendency of 

art and performance. When they are assigned 

different role-plays or characters in the dramas, 

they perform wonderfully. The reason is that it is 

quite interesting to learn about historical events or 

current affairs through the performing art. 

The role-play is different from drama in the sense 

that the role-play, as it is believed, is a strategy 

for exploration and does not attend to structure 

or aesthetic concerns. It can be used to explore 

one situation or episode and does not need to 

be structured with a beginning and an ending. In a 

drama, there are episodes and it is structured with 

a beginning and an ending. A drama consists of 

the story plot, characters, scenes, dialogues, typical 

costumes, etc. Whereas, role-play requires only a 

simple script to perform. 

The role-play and drama both help the students 

to develop: 

Empathy so that they could examine others’ 

ideas, feelings and points of view. 

Oral expression and interpretation skills so 

that they could use language to describe 

perceptions, emotions and reactions. 

Decision-making and problem-solving skills so 

that they could gain experience in independent 

thinking and co-operative learning. 

Speaking and listening abilities. 

In the developed world, teachers are trained in 

using the role-play and drama most frequently in 

their classrooms. Teachers also take interest in 

using these strategies because they fi nd that in less 

Role-play and Drama 

possible time, they can easily communicate the 

message or transform an idea. 

Role-plays and dramas can be interesting in environmental 

education. There are several issues in 

our region. It would be the most fruitful way to 

educate our school children about our current 

environmental issues. Teachers can facilitate 

learners in creating own stories or convert critical 

incidents in the shape of stories. Those learners 

who are able to use internet, can easily fi nd 

out the stories about environment. It is highly 

recommended that trainings should be designed 

in a way that educators get strong orientation of 

using Internet resources and skills of searching 

most authentic websites related to environmental 

education. They would learn searching stories that 

could be used parallel to the current textbook 

environmental themes. 

Tips for Role Play 

First of all choose a topic or theme. For example, 

in the context of environmental education, the 

conversation in English textbook for class VI 

given at the end of the reading, can easily be 

role-played. The groups can develop their 

own script for performing role-play. 

Review the script of dialogues and distribute 

the dialogues depending on whether its a pair 

role-play or group role-play. 

Make a rehearsal of the dialogues. 

Try to be natural in performance. For example, if 

the role is of a teacher, perform as a teacher. 

Be careful of time in performing the role-play. 

Teacher must encourage the performance and 

give feedback so that the next performance 

could be improved. 

99

Tips for Drama 

Select the theme on which drama needs to be 

presented. 

Discuss the theme in detail; devise the plan for 

presenting the drama. 

Write or arrange the script. 

Distribute the characters. The major criterion 

for the distribution of characters could be the 

choices of the group members. They know 

about their tendencies; some would prefer to 

perform as hero and the others as villain. 

Teacher/resource person would facilitate each 

Conversation for Role-Play 

Reference: English Textbook class VI, page 32 

100 

group by providing suggestions, appropriate 

time for preparation, facilities, costumes 

arrangement etc. 

Do rehearsals of the dialogues before 

performance. 

Do not be confused while performing 

dialogues. 

Teacher/resource person would assess during 

performance. In this regard, he/she may devise 

the tool for observation. 

After the performance, conduct a debriefi ng 

session about the drama. 

Jamal: Assalam – o – Alaikum. 

Ahmed: Walaikum –us- Salam. 

Jamal: How are you? 

Ahmed: I am fi ne. Thank you very much. 

Jamal: My name is Jamal and I have come from a village near Hyderabad city. 

Ahmed: My name is Ahmed and I have come from a village near Quetta city. 

Jamal: Ahmed, please tell me about your village. 

Ahmed: The name of my village is Khanozai. It lies in a valley, seventy kms to the north east of 

Quetta. 

Jamal: How many houses are there in your village? 

Ahmed: There are about six hundred and fi fty houses built of stone and mud in the village. 

Jamal: I have heard that some of the houses in the village are built on slopes of the hills. 

Ahmed: Yes, we are lucky to live in such comfortable houses. I am proud of my village. 

Jamal: From where do you get water? 

Ahmed: We get drinking water from ‘Karaiz’, which is an underground canal. 

Jamal: Thank you very much for sharing with us some very useful information about your village.

References 

1. Amin, A. and Hussain, A. (2004) Environmental Education Training Manual, Division, WWF – Pakistan. 

2. Abbas, S. T. and Akbar G. (2003) Mabadiat Mahol, Environmental Education, Division, WWF – 


3. Biodiversity Action Plan for Pakistan (2000). Published by the Government of Pakistan, World Wide 

Fund for Nature – Pakistan and International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, 


4. Module on ‘Techniques for Refl ective Practice’ published by ESRA /USAID Sindh for teacher training in 

2004. 

5. http://www.practicebasedlearning.org/resources/materials/docs/Refl ection retrieved on 15.05.2008. 

6. http://www.practicebasedlearning.org/resources/materials/docs/Refl ection retrieved on 15.05.2008 

101

Download - foreverindus.org - WWF - Pakistan

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?